Box Score  | GameDay Preview

NORTHFIELD, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University men's hockey team's offense remained in its mid-season deep-freeze Friday evening, as the Cardinals mustered just a single goal for the third straight game in falling to St. Olaf 5-1 Friday evening at the Northfield Ice Arena.

"We just did not play well tonight," said SMU coach Bill Moore. "Offensively, defensively, special teams … we were just flat from start-to-finish — and against a team as talented as St. Olaf, you can't afford to play like that.

"We have got to find a way to get things turned around — and quick."

Dan Cecka gave the Oles a 2-0 lead — scoring at 10:11 of the opening period and in the game's second minute of the second — and Steven Sherman added St. Olaf's third goal just 1:23 after Cecka's second tally to push the advantage to 3-0.

Bobby Thompson (Centerville, Minn.) got the Cardinals on the board at 3:08 of the second period, netting his fifth of the season on the power play to cut the Oles' lead to 3-1.

Thompson's goal, however, would prove to be the extent of the Cardinals' offensive attack, and St. Olaf sealed the win with a pair of third-period goals.

Christian Gaffy (Scandia, Minn.) finished with 45 saves in goal for the Cardinals — including 38 in the first period periods combined — while St. Olaf goalie Steve Papciak stopped 18 of SMU's 19 shots.

The Cardinals (2-7-0 MIAC, 6-11-1 overall) get another shot at the Oles on Saturday, as SMU hosts St. Olaf in a 7 p.m. conference game at the SMU Ice Arena.