WINONA, Minn. — After surrendering the first goal in each of their first three games — all losses — the Saint Mary's University men's hockey team took a different approach in Friday's nonconference game against UW-Superior.
 
With much more favorable results.
 
The Cardinals scored the game's first goal just five minutes into the opening period — and got the game-winner from Ryan Stoynich (Calgary, Alberta) with less than seven minutes remaining in regulation — in dealing the Yellowjackets a 4-3 nonconference setback at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena.
 
The first period started out with a bang offensively, as the Cardinals struck first on a goal by Bud Winter (St. Louis, Mo.) — off assists from Ryan Stoynich (Calgary, Alberta) and Brady Lindauer (Cary, Ill.) — at 4:54 of the opening frame.
 
The Yellowjackets quickly answered, when Sam Sterne beat Cardinal goalie A.J. Ruskowski (Traverse City, Mich.) just four minutes after Winter's tally to knot the game at 1-1.
 
Unfazed, the Cardinals regained the lead midway through the period, when Gabe Potyk (Lake Orion, Mich.) notched his first collegiate goal, sneaking one past UW-Superior goalie Myles Hektor at 11:26.
 
UW-Superior came out after the first intermission and quickly tied the game at 2-2 on a goal by Chad Lopez. Ss quickly as the Yellowjackets knotted the game, however, the Cardinals would unknot it, getting a goal by Trevor Schroder (Des Moines, Iowa) with 2:17 remaining in the middle period.
 
Five minutes into the third period, the Yellowjackets once again climbed back to even, tying the game at 3-3 on a goal by Charles Martin.
 
Enter Stoynich, who netted what proved to be the game-winner, his second of the season, with less than seven minutes remaining in regulation — and the Cardinals held the Yellowjackets at bay down the stretch to ice their firsts win of the season.
 
Ruskowski would finish the game with 28 saves for Saint Mary's, while Hektor recorded 26 saves in goal for the Yellowjackets.
 
The Cardinals (1-3-0 overall) are back in action Saturday, as they welcome nationally ranked UW-Eau Claire to the Saint Mary's Ice Arena for a 7 p.m. nonconference contest.