By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
ST. PETER, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's hockey team proved on Friday with its 1-1 tie against fourth-ranked Gustavus that, when the Cardinals play at the top of their game, they are as good as any team in the conference—if not the nation.
 
On Saturday afternoon, however, the Cardinals learned first-hand what happens when their game isn't in tip-top form.
 
Gustavus rebounded from its one-goal outing in Friday's 1-1 tie with the Cardinals by scoring two goals in both the second and third periods in blanking Saint Mary's 5-0 at the Don Roberts Ice Arena.
 
For the second game in a row, the Gusties got on the board first, as Amelia Vosen beat Cardinal goalie Ashley Corcoran (Red Wing, Minn.)—who finished with a career-high 42 saves in Friday's 1-1 tie—at 14:07 of the opening period.
 
Unlike Friday, however, the Cardinals did not have an answer for the Gusties' game-opening goal, and Gustavus would pad its lead to 3-1 after two periods—thanks to goals by Erica Power at 6:23 and Kaitlyn Klein with 1:39 remaining.
 
Gustavus pushed its lead to 4-0 just two minutes into the third period on a goal by Madison Bergren, while Taylor Nelson rounded out the scoring at 10:54, netting her first goal of the season.
 
Corcoran was busy between the pipes for the Cardinals, making 36 saves, before giving way to Ary Ziakas (Palatine, Ill.) with nine minutes remaining in the third period. Ziakas stopped all three shots she faced in relief. GAC's Amanda DiNella kicked out all 11 Saint Mary's shots in notching the shutout.
 
The Cardinals (4-6-2 MIAC, 7-10-2 overall) are back in conference play next weekend with a pair of games against Bethel. Saint Mary's and BU are slated to square off at 7 p.m. at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena on Friday, before heading to the Schwan's Super Rink in Blaine, Minn., for Saturday's 2 p.m. rematch.