By EMILY LOOF
Saint Mary's Sports Information Intern
 
WINONA, Minn. — Fans of the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's hockey team may have confused Saturday's matchup against Gustavus for a circus show—considering the balancing act the game turned out to be.
 
In their first home game since Dec. 6, the Cardinals outbalanced the Gusties and came away with a 4-3 win—their fourth straight victory—and a decisive Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference sweep.
 
The Cardinals were called for a major penalty in the game's second minute, forcing them to be on the penalty kill for five minutes. Cardinal goaltender Aaron Davis (Mound, Minn.)—who stopped all 31 shots in blanking the Gusties 1-0 in Friday's first game of the two-game series—made six saves during that span, keeping the game scoreless early on.
 
But the time spent in the defensive zone meant little opportunity to generate any offense—the Cardinals did not land a shot on Gustie goaltender Chris Amsden until nearly nine minutes of play had elapsed. The Cardinals' first dangerous offensive opportunity came on a pair of shots by Chad Cesarz (Jackson, Mich.), who, unfortunately, was unable to convert on either opportunity.
 
But not for long.
 
With just over four minutes left in the opening frame, and the Cardinals on the power play, Kyle Meeh (Fenton, Mo.), received the puck from Jude Warner (Pickerington, Ohio) at the top of the face-off circle and wristed a shot that rang off the post and in—making Saturday the fifth straight game in which Meeh has recorded at least one point.
 
But the Gusties were not about to head into the locker room after the first period trailing, as Reid Brown scored at 19:34 of the opening frame to knot the game at 1-1.
 
The Cardinals came back from intermission flying high. After a flurry of shots in the second period's opening minutes, Warner received a back-door pass from Michael Amelio (Venetia, Pa.). Instead of shooting immediately, Warner dragged the puck across the crease, effectively dragging Amsden out of position and sending the puck past him to put the Cardinals ahead 2-1.
 
Unfortunately, the scales would tip in the Gusties' favor.
 
Nick Sheak received a rebound off of Davis's pad and sent it into the net at 7:35 of the second period, tying the game at 2-2. The Gusties then took advantage of another Cardinal penalty and took their first lead of the game, 3-2, on a shot by Evan Erickson at 13:34.
 
Gustavus would maintain that one-goal lead through the rest of the second period, leaving the Cardinals staring at a 3-2 deficit heading into the game's final 20 minutes.
 
And the balancing act would continue.
 
The Cardinals opened the third period with a high-pressure strategy, landing heavy hits and sliding to keep the puck in their offensive end. And the strategy worked, as Cesarz received a pass from Kelvin Walz (Woodbury, Minn.) and hammered a shot at Amsden. The shot, which many initially perceived to be a save, trickled between Amsden's legs and snuck over the goal line just two minutes into the period, equalizing the game again, 3-3.
 
In such a back-and-forth game, it was only natural the lead would change hands again—and change it did.
 
Seth Kamrass (Peachtree Corners, Ga.), clanged a shot off the crossbar, and the rebound landed at the back goal post and onto the stick of Jack Stang (Mendota Hts., Minn.), who easily buried it to give the Cardinals a 4-3 lead with 10:20 remaining in regulation.
 
And the Cardinals made the lead stand up to complete the sweep—and lock up the crucial six weekend points.
 
Davis finished with 23 saves on 26 shots for the Cardinals, while Amsden recorded 30 saves on 34 shots.
 
The Cardinals continue MIAC play next weekend as they take on Bethel in a two-game series. Game 1 is slated for 7 p.m. Friday at the Schwan's Super Rink in Blaine, Minn., with the teams heading to the Saint Mary's Ice Arena for Saturday's 7 p.m. rematch.