WINONA, Minn. — To say that the Saint Mary's University men's hockey team is on a roll would be an understatement.
 
By a long shot.
 
The Cardinals head into their key conference weekend of games against perennial league powers Augsburg and St. Thomas riding a four-game winning streak — having already dispatched of Gustavus (twice), Concordia, and Bethel.
 
"I could not be prouder of the guys," said Saint Mary's coach Ryan Egan, in his second year at the helm. "With all the COVID-19 protocols, a season full of stops and starts … they have just done a phenomenal job of staying focused and on task — both on the ice and off."
 
How good have the Cardinals been?
 
They are currently ranked in the Top 10 in the USCHO.com Pairwise Rankings, they are one of just two teams in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference without a loss — being joined by Friday's night's foe, Augsburg, atop the conference standings at 4-0-0 — and they are in the midst of their first season-opening four-game winning streak since 1972-73, when the Cardinals won their first 11 straight. Saint Mary's did win five straight to kick off the 2001-02 season, but two of those wins vs. Finlandia were considered exhibition games.
 
As impressive as they overall record is, nothing has come easy for the Cardinals — who have had three of their four games decided by one goal — including rallying from a two-goal deficit twice to beat Gustavus 5-4 in overtime in their latest contest on Feb. 23.
 
Offensively, the Cardinals are led by a pair of freshman. Andrew Froese has scored a team-leading four goals — including his first collegiate hat trick against Gustavus on Feb. 23 — while Bud Winter has scored three times in four games and is tied with Froese for the team lead in points with six. And at the other end, senior goalie Al Rogers has been outstanding, compiling a 2.65 goals-against-average and a .910 save percentage in three starts.  
 
"It's been a grind, no two-ways about that," admitted Egan. "But this is a special group — and they are all doing whatever it takes for this team to be successful."