WINONA, Minn. – Just when Saint Mary's University women's hockey coach Sarah Murray thought her Cardinal offense was headed in the right direction, they ran into a speed bump.
 
After showing what their offense was capable of — scoring as many goals in their 2-2 tie against Saint Benedict last Wednesday as they had in their first three games combined — Saint Mary's offense went back into hibernation Tuesday evening.
 
St. Thomas goalie Kylie Watts stopped all 17 Saint Mary's shots, and the Tommies scored two goals in the second period and one more in the third in dealing the Cardinals a 3-0 setback at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena.
 
After a scoreless first period — thanks in large part to Ary Ziakas' (Palatine, Ill.) 15 saves — the Tommies took control in the middle frame.
 
Alli Pitick finally got a puck past Ziakas six minutes into the second period, and, two minutes later, the Cardinals found themselves staring at a 2-0 hole, as Alyssa Wallace scored her team-leading fifth goal, grabbing a loose puck in front of a fallen Ziakas and lifting it into the open net.
 
The Tommies would tack on one more goal in the third, this one off the stick of Fiona Claugherty midway through the frame, to ice the win.
 
Ziakas finished with 31 saves in goal for SMU, adding 11 second-peirod and five third-period saves to her 15-save first-period effort.
 
The Cardinals (0-3-2 overall) are back in action on Saturday, heading to the St. Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights, Minn., for a 7 p.m. rematch with the Tommies.