SUPERIOR, Wis. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's hockey team erupted for five goals in its season-opening 5-2 win over UW-Superior Friday evening.
It was the highest offensive output since netting five goals in a 5-3 win over Hamline on Feb. 23, 2014.
The Cardinals should have saved a few of those for the teams' rematch on Saturday.
UW-Superior scored a pair of goals less than a minute apart early in the third period to break-open a 0-0 deadlock and deal the Cardinals a 2-0 nonconference setback at Wessman Arena.
"Superior played very well today," understated Saint Mary's coach
Terry Mannor. "We were not the same team that we were last night. (Friday) we played with a ton of confidence, and today we just didn't have it.
"Give Marah a ton of credit, she played great," added Mannor, referring to his junior goalie, who set a school record with 79 saves—including 33 in the second period alone. "We just didn't give (Shields) much help, and offensively we never seemed to get things going."
Neither team could find the back of the net through the game's first 40 minutes—but the Yellowjackets certainly had their share of opportunities, outshooting the Cardinals 55-9 through two periods.
Fortunately for the Cardinals, Shields showing off her brick wall Halloween costume—was up to the task, stopping everything UW-Superior threw at her.
Until the 4:41 mark of the third period, that is.
Emily Heid finally got a puck past Shields, scoring her first goal of the season on the power play. Just a minute later, Karen Larson made it 2-0, netting a short-handed tally off an assist from Kelly Cockerill.
Shields' 79 saves were not only a career-high, but also a school record—24 saves better than Nikki Jung's 55-save effort against Gustavus on Jan. 21, 2005. Sky Brown, meanwhile, stopped all 13 Saint Mary's shots in recording the shutout in goal for UW-Superior.
The Cardinals (1-1-0 overall) are now off until Nov. 13, when they kick off Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play, hosting Bethel in a 7 p.m. matchup at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena. The two teams will then travel to the Schwan's Super Rink in Blaine, Minn., for a 2 p.m. rematch the following day.
