By
DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
WINONA, Minn. — Pressure? What pressure?
The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's hockey team entered Saturday's regular-season finale with a crystal clear knowledge of what they needed to do against St. Olaf.
Win, and the Cardinals were playing in the post-season.
Lose, and the Cardinals were on the outside looking in.
Thanks to
Carson Sheridan's (Waunakee, Wis.) goal at 9:12 of the third period, the Cardinals have lived to play another day, as Saint Mary's completed its two-game sweep of St. Olaf with a second-straight one-goal victory, this one a 2-1 triumph at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena.
With the win — and Augsburg's second straight shutout win over Concordia — the Cardinals leap-frogged the Cobbers and into the fifth and final playoff spot, and will head to St. Peter, Minn., for a 7 p.m. opening-round game against Gustavus.
Unlike Friday, when the Cardinals spotted the Oles a one-goal lead — before rattling off three unanswered tallies en route to a 4-3 victory — Saint Mary's was the one to strike first Saturday, as
Carolyn Chrastka (Franklin Park, Ill.) got SMU on the board at 6:11 of the opening period.
Saint Mary's would maintain that one-goal lead until the 12:28 mark of the middle frame, when Johanna Glaser pulled the Oles even, beating Cardinal goalie
Ary Ziakas (Palatine, Ill.) to knot the game at 1-1.
Enter Sheridan.
The Cardinal freshman scored for the second straight game — this one coming with 10:48 remaining and giving the Cardinals the lead for good.
Ziakas finished with 16 saves for the Cardinals, who held a 26-16 advantage in shots on goal.
Saint Mary's closes out the regular-season with a 6-8-4 conference mark, and will bring a 9-10-6 overall record into Thursday's conference playoff opener against the Gusties.
