By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's hockey team closes out its final regular-season two-game conference series against St. Olaf on Saturday, as the Cardinals host the Oles in 4 p.m. Senior Day showdown at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (5-8-4 MIAC, 8-10-6 Overall) at St. Olaf Oles (0-14-3 MIAC, 0-21-3 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
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Last Night:
• February 15, 2019 * Northfield, Minn.: Sophia Zebro (Maple Grove, Minn.) scored with less than three minutes remaining in regulation, lifting the Cardinals to a 4-3 win over St. Olaf at the St. Olaf Ice Arena — and keeping Saint Mary's MIAC Playoff hopes alive | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. St. Olaf — A Year Ago:
• February 16, 2018 * Winona, Minn.: There was plenty to play for the Cardinals in the first game of their two-game conference series against St. Olaf. Not only was it the Cardinals' final home game of the regular season, but it was also Senior Night for the team's six seniors — and, to top it all off, the Cardinals needed a win to remain in MIAC Playoff contention. And much to the delight of head coach Greg Moore, the Cardinals played well under pressure, blanking the visiting Oles 4-0 at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena to keep those post-season hopes alive | Recap
• February 17, 2018 * Northfield, Minn.: When Saint Mary's headed to the Northfield Ice Arena, for the second game of their conference series against St. Olaf, it was knowing that their hopes of a berth in the MIAC Playoffs depended on the Cardinals coming away with a win. And though the Cardinals rallied twice in what turned out to be a rollercoaster of a game, they were unable to rally a third time — and a win, and that post-season invitation, would not be in the cards — as Saint Mary's dropped a 7-3 decision to the Oles | Recap
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: With a win over the Oles on Saturday — and an Augsburg win or tie against Concordia — the Cardinals would lock up the fifth and final MIAC Playoff berth and would open post-season play on the road next Thursday.
• St. Olaf: Saturday's game at Saint Mary's is the season finale for the Oles.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals: 
2018-19 Roster | 2018-19 Schedule | 2018-19 Statistics
• Friday's game against Hamline was the seventh road game in the last 11 contests for the Cardinals, who finished the regular-season 4-4-5 away from the Saint Mary's Ice Arena this season. … Saturday's game against St. Olaf is the final collegiate home game for Saint Mary's seniors Kelsey Corcoran (Red Wing, Minn.), Ashley Corcoran (Red Wing, Minn.), Miryea Herman (Anchorage, Alaska), Maddy Wallraff (Blaine, Minn.), and Bailey Wendt (Coon Rapids, Minn.). … With their 4-3 win over the Oles Friday, the Cardinals remained in the hunt for the fifth and final MIAC Playoff berth. Saint Mary's must beat St. Olaf in the teams' rematch on Saturday, and have Augsburg beat or tie Concordia in order for the Cardinals to lock up that No. 5 seed. … Saint Mary's 4-3 win over the Oles Friday snapped their two-game losing streak. … The Cardinals' 6-1 and 7-1 losses to nationally ranked Hamline last weekend marked just the second and third time in the last 11 games that the outcome was not decided by one goal or less. … The Cardinals have now gone into overtime in seven of their last 14 games — including six that have ended in ties. … The Cardinals' six ties this season tie the single-season school record, last accomplished during the 2011-12 season, when Saint Mary's finished the year 7-12-6. … Saint Mary's four goals against St. Olaf Friday came from four different players — Lauren Rogers (Barrington, Ill.), Natalie Ryan (Village of Lakewood, Ill.), Carson Sheridan (Waunakee, Wis.), and Sophia Zebro (Oak Grove, Minn.). … 
 
Ryan and Zebro head into Saturday's rematch with St. Olaf sharing the team lead with seven goals, one more than Bailey Wendt (Coon Rapids, Minn.). … Courtney Moser (Blaine, Minn.) picked up her team-leading 11th and 12th assists of the season against St. Olaf Friday. … Ryan owns the team lead in points with 15, one more than Moser, while Wendt (13) and Carolyn Chrastka (Franklin Park, Ill. / 11) have also recorded 10 or more points this season. … Zebro recorded her second collegiate two-goal game on Jan. 8 against nationally ranked UW-River Falls, scoring the first two of the Cardinals' three goals vs. the Falcons. Zebro also had a two-goal game against Marian on Oct. 27. … Wendt had her season- and career-high three-game goal-scoring streak snapped in last Saturday's loss to Hamline. … Saint Mary's 41 goals this season have come from 11 different players, while 15 Cardinals have recorded at least one point. … Saint Mary's eight game-winning goals this season have come from five different players — Ryan (2), Zebro (2), Moser, Chrastka, Kourtney Jancze (Stillwater, Minn.), and Delaney Wolf (Bismarck, N.D.). … The Cardinals boast six players who have scored their first collegiate goals this season — Zebro, Chrastka, Jancze, Lexie Budensiek (Farmington, Minn.), Carson Sheridan (Waunakee, Wis.), and Lauren Folker (Cody, Wyo.). … 
 
Ary Ziakas (Palatine, Ill.) made a season-high 37 saves against Gustavus on Jan. 26. … Ziakas' 37-save effort against Gustavus on Jan. 26 was just four shy of her career high. … Ziakas heads into Saturday's game against St. Olaf boasting a 1.94 goals-against-average and a .926 save percentage in 11 appearances, while Ashley Corcoran (Red Wing, Minn.) owns a 2.02 GAA and .935 save percentage in three games and Jordan Keeley (St. Peter, Minn.) — who recorded a season-high 31 saves against Hamline last Saturday — has compiled a 3.07 GAA and .896 save percentage in a team-leading 10 starts. … Ziakas leads the goalie corps with 313 saves, with Keeley second with 225. … All three Cardinal goalies have posted at least one shutout this season. Keeley stopped all 28 shots she faced in Saint Mary's 1-0 win over St. Catherine on Jan. 19 — it was her second shutout of the season. The freshman also stopped all 16 shots in notching her first collegiate shutout — in her first collegiate start — against Marian on Oct. 27. Corcoran stopped all 22 shots she faced against Saint Benedict on Nov. 30 en route to her first shutout of the season and second of her collegiate career; while Ziakas posted her first collegiate shutout in the Cardinals' first meeting with UW-Stevens Point on Dec. 8, stopping all 24 Pointer shots. … Corcoran finished with a season-high 39 saves against UW-Eau Claire on Nov. 20 — including 20 in the game's opening 20 minutes. … Saint Mary's games against fifth-ranked Hamline last weekend were the fifth and sixth against a nationally ranked opponent this season. The Cardinals also played a pair of games against then-No. 9 St. Thomas on No. 9-10, faced then-No. 10 UW-Eau Claire on Nov. 20, and squared off against then-sixth-ranked UW-River Falls on Jan. 8. … Six of the nine goals scored between Saint Mary's and Saint Benedict on Nov. 30-Dec. 1 were scored in the first period. The Cardinals scored all three of their goals in their 3-0 win vs. Saint Benedict on Nov. 20 in the opening period, while the Bennies netted three of their five tallies in their 5-1 win the following day in the game's first 20 minutes. … Saint Mary's has scored first 12 times this season — including seven of its eight wins and five of its six ties. The Cardinals recorded their first win (1-10-1) when their opponent scores first against St. Olaf on Friday. … Saint Mary's is 8-1-2 when leading after two periods, but are winless (0-8-1) when trailing heading into the third period. … The Cardinals' six goals in their 6-3, season-opening win over St. Norbert equaled their single-game season high from a year ago. … The Cardinals' 6-3 loss to nationally ranked UW-River Falls on Jan. 8 was their final nonconference game of the season. Saint Mary's finished 3-2-2 in its seven non-league games. … With their 6-3 season-opening win over St. Norbert on Oct. 26, the Cardinals have now won their season-opener in each of their last four seasons. … Thanks to their 6-3 win over St. Norbert and 4-0 victory over Marian, the Cardinals have now swept those two teams to open each of the last three seasons.
 
Scouting The St. Olaf Oles:
2018-19 Roster | 2018-19 Schedule | 2018-19 Statistics
• The Oles' 4-3 loss to Saint Mary's kept St. Olaf winless on the season (0-21-4). St. Olaf snapped a season-high nine-game losing streak with last Saturday's 4-4 tie against Bethel. … Two of St. Olaf's three ties this season have come on their home ice, where the Oles are 0-13-2. St. Olaf is 0-8-1 on the road this season. … Maddy Johnson, Carolyn Carpenter, and Margeaux Cohen scored the Oles' three goals against Saint Mary's Friday. … Kalli McCullen, who recorded her first collegiate hat trick — on Senior Day — in last Saturday's 4-4 tie with Bethel, leads the team with six goals, one more than both Xandi Swedberg and Jackie LaFaive. … Swedberg leads the team in both assists (7) and points (12). … McCullen has also eclipsed the 10-point barrier this season, sitting second on the team with 11. … McCullen has netted three of the team's seven power-play goals. … The Oles have used five different goalies this season. Sam Klemann has made a team-leading 14 appearances, compiling a 3.73 goals-against-average and a .902 save percentage. Kaitlyn Pellicci (9 GP, 4.82 GAA, .885 save %), Grace Boswell-Healey (6 GP, 4.94 GAA, .884 save %), Mae Moris (2 GP, 6.83 GAA, .878 save %), and Ivy Shonka (1 GP, 0.00 GAA, 1.000 save %) have also seen time between the pipes. … Klemann posted a career-high 48 saves in last Saturday's 4-4 tie with Bethel. … St. Olaf has been outscored 106-34 through 24 games — including 40-11 in the second period and 37-9 in the third. … St. Olaf has scored first in 10 of its 24 games, going 0-10-1, while owning a 0-12-2 mark when its opponent scores first. … St. Olaf has been involved in nine games decided by one goal or less (0-6-3) — including Friday's 4-3 loss to Saint Mary's — and have played in 15 games that have been decided by three or more goals (0-14-1). … St. Olaf has led after two periods just twice through 24 games (0-1-1). The Oles are 0-20-2 when tied or trailing heading into the third period.