By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's hockey team was so close to its first MIAC Tournament championship game appearance since 2016 the Cardinals could almost taste it.
 
All that stood in the Cardinals' way was top-seeded, regular-season champion Augsburg — ranked No. 6 in the country and the three-time defending MIAC Tournament champion.
 
That's all?!
 
The Auggies gave the Cardinals an up-close and personal view of why Augsburg boasts such an impressive resume
 
Augsburg erupted for six unanswered goals, including five in the second period, breaking opening a one-goal game and leading the Auggies to an 8-1 victory at Ed Saugestad Rink — and an MIAC Tournament title game berth against Saint John's
 
The Auggies struck early — and often — netted back-to-back goals less than a minute apart early in the first period to grab an early 2-0 lead.
 
Luke Dietsch got the Auggies on the board at 3:52 of the first period, and, 43 seconds later Jake Larson found the back of the net to make it 2-0 Augsburg.
 
The Cardinals waited until the very last seconds — literally — to get their first goal of the game, as Kyle Meeh (Fenton, Mo.) beat Augsburg goalie Nick Schmit with just two seconds to play — off assists from Jack Stang (Mendota Heights, Minn.) and Dylan Robertson (Alpharetta, Ga.) to cut the deficit to 2-1 heading into the locker room after 20 minutes.
 
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, that late first-period goal seemed to wake up  sleeping Augsburg offensive giant, as the Auggies erupted for five second-period goals — including a pair of power-play tallies — to push the Auggie lead to 7-1 heading into the game's final 20 minutes.
 
And it was the Auggies who netted the only goal of the third stanza, as Alex Rodriguez netted his second of the game at 5:07.
 
Augsburg finished with a commanding 41-12 advantage in shots on goal. Nick Nast (Oxnard, Calif.) made 17 saves in 25:55, before giving way to Al Rogers (North Haven, Conn.), who finished with 19 saves in relief.