By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
SUPERIOR, Wis. — It took 20 minutes, but over the final 40 minutes there proved to be plenty of offensive fireworks.
 
Unfortunately for the Saint Mary's University men's hockey team, it was UW-Superior that provided all the offensive spark in the teams' nonconference game Friday evening.
 
After a scoreless first period, the Yellowjackets erupted for seven unanswered goals — three in the second period and four more in the third — as UW-Superior dealt Saint Mary's a 7-0 setback at Wessman Arena.
 
After a scoreless first period, the Yellowjackets kicked their offense into high gear, scoring back-to-back goals four minutes apart before the second stanza was eight minutes old. Chad Lopez netted UW-Superior's third goal of the period at 14:32 to give the Yellowjackets a 3-0 lead heading into the final 20 minutes.
 
And as good as the Yellowjackets were in the second period, they were even better in the third, scoring four times — including three in the first 3:08 of the period — to seal the victory.
 
Nick Nast (Oxnard, Calif.) finished with 22 saves in goal for the Cardinals, while Al Rogers (North Haven, Conn.) stopped nine Yellowjacket shots in 17 minutes of relief work. Oscar Svensson stopped a 20 Saint Mary's shots in posting the shutout in goal for UW-Superior.
 
The Cardinals (0-2-1 Overall) are back on the road on Saturday, heading to Hobbs Ice Arena in Eau Claire, Wis., for a 7 p.m. nonconference matchup against UW-Eau Claire. The Yellowjackets (1-0-0 Overall), meanwhile, return to Wessman Arena in Superior, Wis., on Saturday, entertaining St. Olaf in a 7:05 p.m. nonconference game.