By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
ST. CLOUD, Minn. — For the five periods in their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference series against Saint Benedict, goals were at a premium for the Saint Mary's University women's hockey team.
 
The Cardinals, who were shut out in Friday's 1-0 loss to the Bennies, scored the only goal of the game's first two periods in the teams' rematch Saturday afternoon — before erupting for three third-period goals.
 
Three third-period goals that propelled the Cardinals to a 4-1 victory over the Bennies — and a spot in the MIAC Tournament.
 
With the win — and losses by both St. Catherine and Bethel — the Cardinals locked down the fifth seed in the five-team tournament, and will travel to St. Thomas on Thursday for an opening-round game against the fourth-seeded Tommies. Game time at the St. Thomas Ice Arena is set for 7 p.m.
 
Saturday's rematch with the Bennies started in much the same fashion as Friday's, with neither team able to generate any offense.
 
Unlike Friday, however, this time around it was the Cardinals who would strike first, getting  a second-period goal by Natalie Ryan (Village of Lakewood, Ill.) to take a 1-0 lead into the game's final 20 minutes.
 
And what a final 20 minutes it proved to be.
 
Saint Benedict knotted the game at 1-1 on a goal by Rylan Bistodeau at 8:39, but the Cardinals would answer with back-to-back-to-back goals by Courtney Moser (Blaine, Minn.), arson Sheridan (Waunakee, Wis.), and Sophia Zebro (Maple Grove, Minn.) to seal the win — and the post-season invitation.
 
The Cardinals — 3-1-1 in their last five games — take a 9-13-3 overall record into Thursday's matchup against St. Thomas, while finishing conference play with a 6-10-2 mark.