BLAINE, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's hockey team collected its first win of the season on Thursday with a 2-1 win over Augsburg — and coach
Sarah Murray was hoping the victory would give the Cardinals a little momentum heading into Saturday's matchup at Bethel.
And through the first two periods, it appeared as if Murray would get her wish.
That momentum, however, swung in the Royals' favor over the final 20 minutes, as Bethel scored four times — including three from Bri Stafne — in dealing the Cardinals a 4-1 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback at Schwan's Super Rink.
After a scoreless first period, the Cardinals finally broke the ice in an unconventional way — while killing off a penalty.
Amber Miller (Kasson, Minn.) corralled a loose puck, broke in on BU goalie Mallory Tidona and feathered a shot past the junior netminder for her first of the season — and a 1-0 Saint Mary's lead with 7:37 remaining in the middle frame.
Sydney Green (East Bethel, Minn.) and
Katie Pierpont (Holt, Mich.) were credited with the assists on the shorthanded tally — Saint Mary's first since Feb. 16, 2018.
With goalie
Ary Ziakas (Palatine, Ill.) leading the way, Saint Mary's maintained that one-goal lead through the remainder of the second period, but four minutes into the third — with their 20th shot on Ziakas — the Royals finally snuck one past the senior, getting the equalizer from Stafne at 4:33.
Less than three minutes later, the Royals grabbed their first lead when Stafne struck again, banging a rebound past the fallen Ziakas just 2:27 after netting her first goal of the game.
And the Royals weren't finished, getting their third goal of the period off the stick of Alex Belde at 16:45, and 31 seconds later, Stafne completed her first collegiate hat trick with an empty-net goal to ice the win.
Ziakas, who made 18 saves through the first two periods, was peppered with 24 shots over the game's final 20 minutes to finish with a season-high 38-save effort. Tidona finished with 17 saves, allowing just the Miller second-period goal to elude her.
Saint Mary's (1-2-2 MIAC, 1-4-2 overall) will once again face the Royals on Wednesday, as the two teams head to the Saint Mary's Ice Arena for a 7:30 p.m. nonconference matchup.
