Box Score  | GameDay Preview

WEST ST. PAUL, Minn. — After rallying for the game-tying goal in the last 17 seconds of regulation, then getting the game-winner with 35 seconds remaining in overtime, there was only one question left for the Saint Mary's University men's hockey team — what can you do for an encore?

The answer — Plenty.

For starters, the Cardinals erupted for a season-high eight goals in their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rematch with Hamline Sunday afternoon at Ken Yackel Arena.

Add to that the fact that five of those eight goals came from seniors playing in their final collegiate game, and it's safe to say that the Cardinals' sweep-clinching 8-3 victory over the Pipers was a pretty impressive encore.

"We played very well," understated SMU coach Bill Moore, whose team closed out the season winning its last three games and four of its last five. "We got pucks to the net and just played with great intensity from start to finish.

"It's a real nice way for our seniors to go out, and it's a nice springboard for the returners heading into next year," Moore added. "All-in-all, it was a really nice weekend."

After a scoreless first period, the SMU offense — which had scored four of more goals in each of its last four games — came alive, scoring four times in the period's first 9:23.

Mike Mezzano (Woodbury, Minn.) got the ball rolling for the Cardinals, scoring his third of the season just 46 seconds into the second period.

From there, Scott Deur (Big Rapids, Mich.) and Bobby Thompson — two of those 11 seniors playing their final collegiate game — took center stage.

Deur, coming off his first collegiate two-goal and four-point performance in Saturday's 6-5 OT win over the Pipers, scored to make it 2-0, while Thompson — whose goal with 17 seconds remaining in regulation forced Friday's overtime — added his second of the weekend five minutes later to push the Cardinals' advantage to 3-0.

And SMU was just getting warmed up, as Martin Gruse (Trenton, Mich.) made it 4-0 less than two minutes after Deur's second goal — and the second period wasn't even halfway over.

Hamline would get on the board at 15:13 on a goal by Brandon Zurn, but SMU quickly answered as Jonathon Elliott (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) scored with 38 seconds remaining in the period to make it 5-1 heading into the final period.

The final frame also belonged to Cardinal seniors, as Austin Balko (Midland, Mich.) sandwiched a pair of goals around a tally from fellow senior Nick Nagel (Andover, Minn.) to complete the SMU rout.

Phil Heinle (York, Pa.) not only stopped 20 of the Pipers' 23 shots — including 10 in the second period — but the freshman goalie also collected his first collegiate assist on Balko's first goal of the third period.

The Cardinals close out the season 5-10-0 in conference play and 10-14-1 overall.