WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's hockey team kicks off Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Friday, as the Cardinals entertain St. Thomas in a 7 p.m. contest at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (0-0-0 MIAC, 1-1-0 Overall) vs. St. Thomas Tommies (0-0-0 MIAC, 1-1-0 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
• Live Stats * Live Video | GameDay Program
 
Last Action:
• Saint Mary's—October 28-29, 2017 * Blaine, Minn.: The Cardinals split their two games at the MIAC Hockey Showcase, falling to Saint John's 1-0, before bouncing back with a 3-1 win over Bethel | SJU Recap * BU Recap
• St. Thomas—October 28-29, 2017 * Blaine, Minn.: The Tommies came away from their two MIAC Hockey Showcase games with a win and a loss—falling to St. Olaf 3-1 in their opener, before beating Hamline 3-2 the following day | STO Recap * HU Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. St. Thomas—A Year Ago:
• October 28, 2016 * Blaine, Minn.: Bob Kinne (St. Paul, Minn.) scored with 25 seconds remaining in regulation to earn Saint Mary's a 3-3 nonconference tie against the Tommies during the opening day of the MIAC Men's Hockey Showcase at Schwan's Super Rink | Recap
• January 6, 2017 * Mendota Heights, Minn.: Bob Kinne (St. Paul, Minn.) scored with 16 seconds remaining in regulation to pull Saint Mary's even with the Tommies, 5-5—and send the game into overtime. Unfortunately, the overtime period would last just 32 seconds, as St. Thomas' Johnny Roisum rifled a shot past Saint Mary's goalie Phil Heinle (York, Pa.) to give the league-leading and nationally ranked Tommies to a 6-5 victory at the St. Thomas Ice Arena | Recap
• January 7, 2017 * Winona, Minn.: Bob Kinne (St. Paul, Minn.)—who scored with 26 seconds left to lift the Cardinals to a 3-3 tie against the Tommies at the season-opening MIAC Hockey Showcase, and forced overtime in a heartbreaking 6-5 loss to the Tommies the previous event—was at it again in the rematch. The senior assisted on the Cardinals' first goal of the evening, then scored what proved to be the game-winner midway through the second period in lifting the Cardinals to a 2-1 victory and a split in their two-game MIAC series | Recap
 
Up Next:
• The Cardinals and Tommies head to St. Thomas Arena in Mendota Heights, Minn., on Saturday evening for the second game of the teams' two-game MIAC series. Opening faceoff is set for 7 p.m.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2017-18 Roster | 2017-18 Schedule | 2017-18 Statistics
• Beginning with Friday's conference-opener against St. Thomas, the Cardinals play nine of their next 11 games at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena, where Saint Mary's went 6-2-2 a year ago. … Saint Mary's limited both of its first two opponents to just one goal—falling to Saint John's 1-0 and beating Bethel 3-1. … The Cardinals' 1-0 loss to Saint John's marked the first time in the last 12 games that Saint Mary's has failed to win when holding its opponent to two goals or less. … With their 1-0 loss to Saint John's and 3-1 win over Bethel, the Cardinals' last nine games have been decided by two goals or less. … Jay Heinle (York, Pa.) scored a goal and added an assist in Saint Mary's 3-1 win over Bethel last Saturday. Ben Owen (Allen, Texas) and Kellen Wasell (Edmonds, Wash.) netted Saint Mary's other two goals vs. the Royals. … Owen's goal against Bethel was the first of his collegiate career. … Aaron Davis (Mound, Minn.) stopped 51 of the 53 shots he faced in the Cardinals' two MIAC Hockey Showcase games last weekend. Davis made 24 saves in the 1-0 loss to Saint John's, and added a 27-save effort in the 3-1 win over Bethel. … Davis picked up his first collegiate shutout, making 31 saves in a 2-0 win over Gustavus on Feb. 4, 2017, while stopping 28 shots en route to his first win as a Cardinal on Nov. 5, 2016. … The Cardinals made their second MIAC Playoff appearance in the last three seasons a year ago, falling to eventual playoff champion Augsburg 5-4 in overtime in the semifinals. Saint Mary's reached the MIAC Playoff championship game in 2015, falling to Hamline 4-2.
 
Scouting The St. Thomas Tommies:
2017-18 Roster | 2017-18 Statistics | 2017-18 Schedule
• Friday's game against Saint Mary's is the third straight road game for the Tommies, who will play their next three games on their home ice. UST went 10-3-0 on its home ice a year ago, while finishing 4-5-5 away from the St. Thomas Ice Arena. … Brett Gravelle scored a goal in both of the Tommies' MIAC Hockey Showcase games last weekend, while also adding a pair of assists in UST's 3-2 win over Hamline. … Johnny Panvica collected an assist on all three of the Tommies' goal in last Sunday's 3-2 win Hamline. … John Peterson and Jack Christensen have accounted for St. Thomas' other two goals this season—Christensen netting UST's lone goal in a season-opening 3-1 loss to St. Olaf, while Peterson tallied his in the 3-2 victory over Hamline the following day. … Benjamin Myers, an AHCA All-American a year ago, was between the pipes in both games at the MIAC Hockey Showcase last weekend, stopping 36 of the 40 shots he faced for a 2.00 goals-against-average and a .900 save percentage. … The Tommies opened the season ranked No. 15 in the USCHO Preseason Poll, but dropped out after going 1-1 in their two MIAC Showcase games. … St. Thomas went 14-8-5 and won the regular-season MIAC championship for the fifth time in six seasons. The Tommies lost 3-2 to Augsburg in the conference playoff title game. … St. Thomas has placed first or second in the MIAC 51 times, including 31 of the last 34 years—and owns 35 consecutive winning seasons. …