MOORHEAD, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's hockey team hits the road again on Saturday, traveling to the Moorhead Sports Center for the second game of their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference series against Concordia. Game time is slated for 2 p.m.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (3-1-1 MIAC | 6-3-2 Overall) at Concordia Cobbers (3-0-0 MIAC | 4-3-0 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
Live Stats | Video Preview
 
Last Night:
• Concordia scored three goals in a three-minute span in the second period en route to handing the Cardinals their first conference loss of the season, a 6-3 setback at the Moorhead Sports Center in Moorhead, Minn. | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Concordia—A Year Ago:
• November 2, 2014 * Blaine, Minn.: After being shut out by Augsburg 2-0 in their season opener, the Cardinals went another 18:54 before finally finding the back of the net. Over the next 41:06, Saint Mary's would score three more times—including two from Jed McGlasson (Kenai, Alaska)—as the Cardinals dropped Concordia 4-2 during the third day of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Hockey Showcase | Recap
• February 13, 2015 * Winona, Minn.: After trading goals with Concordia for the first three periods, Martin Gruse (Trenton, Mich.) scored his second goal of the game 1:25 into overtime, lifting the Cardinals to a key 4-3 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena | Recap
• February 14, 2015 * Winona, Minn.: The Cobbers erupted for three goals in both the first and second periods and cruised to an 8-3 victory and a split in the their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference series against the Cardinals at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena | Recap
• March 1, 2015 * Winona, Minn.: The Cardinals needed 60 minutes of regulation—and 21:05 of overtime—to get past visiting Concordia, getting the game-winning goal from Martin Gruse (Trenton, Mich.) 1:05 into the second OT in handing the Cobbers a 4-3 setback at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena. And, more importantly, earning the Cardinals a spot in the MIAC Playoff championship game for the first time since the 1994-95 season | Recap
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals are now off until Jan. 3, when they host Milwaukee School of Engineering in a 5 p.m. nonconference game at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena.
• Concordia: The Cobbers head to Menomonie, Wis., next Friday for a 7 p.m. nonconference game against UW-Stout.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2015-16 Roster | 2015-16 Statistics | 2015-16 Schedule
• Friday's 6-3 loss to Concordia snapped the Cardinals' season-high eight-game unbeaten streak (6-0-2). The streak was the longest since Saint Mary's went 7-0-1 during the 1996-97 season. … With their three goals against Concordia Friday, the Cardinals have now scored 57 goals in their first 11 games (5.18 gpg)—ranking No. 1 in all of NCAA Division III. … Chad Cesarz (Jackson, Mich.) had a hand in two of the Cardinals' three games vs. Concordia, finishing with a goal and an assist. Jay Heinle (York, Pa.) and Kellen Wasell (Edmonds, Wash.) accounted for Saint Mary's other two goals Friday. … After not scoring a goal in his first year as a Cardinal, Heinle has now netted a goal in seven of the team's 11 games—and leads the team with 10 goals, two more than Bob Kinne (St. Paul, Minn.). … The Cardinals have recorded three hat tricks this season—Kinne scored three times against Aurora on Nov. 29, while posted his first collegiate hat trick against Bethel on Nov. 13, and Jared Johnson (Hartland, Wis.) found the back of the net three times against Bethel on Nov. 14. … Kinne also added an assist against Aurora on Nov. 29 for his second four-point game of the season. … The Cardinals had eight different players record at least two points in the two-game series vs. Aurora last weekend—including a team-leading four assists from Kelvin Walz (Woodbury, Minn.). … Martin Gruse (Trenton, Mich.)—who assisted on three of the team's five goals in last Sunday's 5-3 win over Aurora on Nov. 29—has recorded at least one point in nine of the team's 11 games, including 15 in his last six contests (5 G, 10 A). … Kinne has notched at least one point in eight of 11 games—including 14 points (7 G, 7 A) in Saint Mary's last seven contests. … Saint Mary's has had a player dish out three assists in a game three times—Gruse has done it twice, while Wasell has achieved the feat once. … Gruse—who posted the third four-point game of his collegiate career against Bethel on Nov. 13—leads the team in both assists (13) and points (19). … Gruse's 13 assists lead the nation. … Gruse is one of eight Cardinals with at least 10 points this season—Kinne (17), Wasell (14), Johnson (14), Heinle (12), Cesarz (10), Albergo (10), and Kelvin Walz (Woodbury, Minn. / 10) are the others. … Heinle and Landon Farrell (Rochester, Minn.) have each scored their first collegiate goals this season. … Jake Tugnutt (Peterborough, Ontario) made his first collegiate start in goal against Aurora last Sunday, stopping 23 shots to record his first win in a Cardinal uniform. … Phil Heinle (York, Pa.), who made 30 saves vs. the Cobbers on Friday, heads into Saturday's rematch with Concordia leading the team with a 3.06 goals-against-average and an .887 save percentage. The junior goalie has made 220 saves in nine starts. … The Cardinals have outscored their opponents 22-7 in the game's final 20 minutes. … Saint Mary's is 5-0-2 when scoring the game's first goal, while going 1-3-0 in games in which the Cardinals' opponent scores first. … The Cardinals' 10 goals against Bethel in their Nov. 13 10-2 victory were the most since netting 11 against Aurora on Dec. 6, 2014—and the most in a conference game since scoring 14 against Concordia on Dec. 7, 2007. … The Cardinals' combined 19 goals in their sweep of the Royals were the most since scoring 21 in 14-3 and 7-2 victories over Concordia on Dec. 7-8, 2007. … The Cardinals have faced two nationally ranked teams this season, collecting a 4-2 win over 10th-ranked UW-River Falls and battling No. 8 UW-Eau Claire to a 3-3 tie. … The Cardinals—who reached the MIAC Playoffs championship game a year ago, after finishing second in the regular-season standings—were picked to finish second in the MIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. … With their 5-4 loss to Gustavus on Oct. 30, the Cardinals fell to 0-3-0 in their last three season openers. Saint Mary's last season-opening win was a 7-2 victory over Bethel on Oct. 27, 2012.

Scouting The Concordia Cobbers:
2015-16 Roster | 2015-16 Statistics | 2015-16 Schedule
• The Cobbers snapped a two-game losing streak with Friday's 6-3 win over Saint Mary's. … CC's 5-0 and 6-3 setbacks to UW-Stevens Point and UW-Eau Claire marked the first time this season the Cobbers had lost back-to-back games. … After playing four games that were decided by a combined six goals, Concordia has been outscored 14-9 in their last three games. … Jake Zeleznikar scored a pair of goals against Saint Mary's on Friday, while Garrett Hendrickson, Jordan Christianson, Charlie Aus and Jake Stilwell accounted for the other four goals. … With his two goals vs. Saint Mary's, Zeleznikar moved into the team lead with four goals, one more than Jon Grebosky. … Aus had a goal and two assists vs. Saint Mary's and is now the team leader with five assists and seven points. … Aus has accounted for two of the Cobbers' four game-winning goals. Stilwell and Brian Kronberger have scored the other two. … Alex Reichle has started all seven games in goal for the Cobbers, compiling a 3.30 goals-against-average and an .898 save percentage. … Reichle—who stopped 27 shots vs. Saint Mary's Friday—has made 194 saves. … After giving up two power play goals in each of its last three games, Concordia did not allow a PP goal Friday. On the flip side, Concordia was 0-for-2 with the man advantage vs. the Cardinals Friday, and is 0-for-13 in its last four games and 2-for-28 with the man advantage this season. … Concordia has been outscored 23-20 through six games—8-7 in the first period, 10-10 in the second, and 5-3 in the third. … The Cobbers are 3-1-0 when scoring first, while going 1-2-0 when their opponent nets the game's first goal.