WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's hockey team entered post-season play with an offense that hadn't scored a goal in more than 81 minutes — including a 65-minute 0-9 deadlock against Bethel in its last game a week ago.
 
That all changed Saturday afternoon — in a big way.
 
The Cardinals exploded for a season-high five goals — including two in both the second and third periods — en route to a 5-3 victory over Saint Benedict in the quarterfinals of the MIAC Playoffs at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena.
 
It took eight more minutes of scoreless hockey before the Cardinal offense finally shifted out of neutral, as Kennedy Kraus (Kasson, Minn.) banged a Sydney Green (East Bethel, Minn.) rebound past CSB goalie Maggie Gilchrist for a 1-0 Saint Mary's lead.
 
The Cardinals — who scored once on eight shots over the game's first 20 minutes — needed just two shots, and two minutes, to score twice to open the second period.
 
Allie Urlaub (Burnsville, Minn.) beat Gilchrist on SMU's first shot of the second period just 50 seconds in — her third goal against the Bennies this season — and exactly one minute later, on the Cardinals' second shot of the frame, Amber Miller (Kasson, Minn.) made it 3-0 with her first of the season.
 
Saint Benedict finally broke through at 6:09 of the middle period when Annika Brodt beat SMU goalie Ary Ziakas (Palatine, Ill.). Brodt's goal was the  first allowed by an SMU goalie over the last 91 minutes, dating back to an OT goal by Bethel's Julia McAlpin 17 seconds into overtime on Feb. 18.
 
Isabelle Heim added the Bennies' second goal of the period with 2:33 remaining, and the Cardinals ended the second period the same way they started it — nursing a one-goal lead.
 
Brodt netted the equalizer for the Bennies — her second of the game and the third straight CSB goal — five minutes into the third period, but the Cardinals were unfazed, getting the go-ahead goal from Ellie Hegdahl () at 9:27 and an empty-net tally by Anna Braun (Mantorville, Minn.) at 18:32 to seal the win
 
Ziakas did her part between the pipes for the Cardinals — who were outshot 35-24 — making 32 saves, including 22 over the game's final two periods.
 
The Cardinals, who improve to 13-9-2 overall, will be back in action on Wednesday, squaring off against second-seeded Hamline in a 7 p.m. semifinal matchup at TRIA Rink in St. Paul, Minn.
 
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