WINONA, Minn. — Saturday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game against Hamline was just what the doctor ordered for the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's hockey team.
 
The Cardinals put an end to a three-game losing streak, getting goals from McKenna Parent (Anoka, Minn.) and Jesse Cwik (Chicago, Ill.) en route to a 2-1 regular season-ending victory over Hamline at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena.
 
More important than snapping their three-game losing streak, however, was the fact that Saturday's victory gave the Cardinals some much-needed MIAC Playoff momentum—not to mention a home playoff game.
 
The Cardinals—who will be making their first post-season appearance since 2009-10 when conference playoffs open—leap-frogged Bethel with Saturday's victory, giving Saint Mary's the No. 4 seed, and a home game against Bethel on Thursday.
 
The Cardinals—who finished 9-7-2 in conference play—will take an 11-11-3 overall record into Thursday's conference-opener against Bethel. Saint Mary's swept its two-game series against the Royals this season, winning 2-1 and 1-0.
 
Parent got the Cardinals on the board at the 5:49 mark of the first period, and Cwik netted her second goal of the weekend at 5:45 of the second to give Saint Mary's a 2-0 advantage heading into the third period.
 
Hamline cut the Cardinal lead in half on Jordan Verleye's 11th goal of the season early in the third period, but that would be the only goal the Pipers would get past Cardinal goalie Tori Herrmann (Elk River, Minn.), who finished 34 saves—including 12 in the second period and 13 more in the third.
 
Mary Shefveland, who kicked out 48 Saint Mary's shots in Friday's 3-2 Hamline win, collected 25 saves in the losing effort Saturday.