By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's hockey team had Augsburg right where they wanted them Friday evening.
 
Despite being outshot 19-5 through the game's first two periods, the Cardinals made the most of their scoring opportunities — heading into the game's final 20 minutes with a 2-1 lead.
 
Augsburg, however, had plenty of quality third-period chances — and cashed in on two of them — as the Auggies rallied for a 3-2 win over the Cardinals at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena.
 
"This is a tough one," said Saint Mary's coach Greg Moore. "I didn't think we played exceptionally well — yet with 20 minutes to play we were in position to get the win.
 
"We just didn't come out (in the third period) with any energy — and Augsburg made us pay for it."
 
The Auggies opened the scoring just 3:38 into the opening period on a goal by Emily Ach, only to have Natalie Ryan (Village of Lakewood, Ill.) knot things up at 1-1 with the first of her two goals three minutes later.
 
Ryan gave the Cardinals the lead at 7:40 of the second period, rifling a shot from the point that beat Augsburg goalie Annie Juergens to the stick side.
 
Saint Mary's would cling to that one-goal lead until the 7:45 mark of the third period, when Augsburg netted the equalizer on a power-play goal by Hollywood Hermanson.
 
Nikki Nightengale gave the Auggies the lead for good, corralling a loose puck in front of the Saint Mary's net and beating Cardinal goalie Ashley Corcoran (Red Wing, Minn.) for her team-leading fourth goal of the season.
 
Corcoran finished with 25 saves in her first start of the season for the Cardinals, while Juergens stopped four of the Cardinals' six shots on goal.
 
The Cardinals (0-3-0 MIAC, 2-3-0 overall) get another shot at the Auggies on Saturday, traveling to Ed Saugestad Rink in Minneapolis, Minn., for the 3 p.m. conference rematch.