BLAINE, Minn. — For the second day in a row, all it took was two goals to leave the ice with a victory.
 
This time around, however, it was the Saint Mary's University women's hockey team that would net the two goals — and exit with the victory.
 
But the Cardinals would need overtime to net their game-winning second goal.
 
Just 24 hours after coming up empty in a 2-0 loss to Bethel, the Cardinals turned the tables on the Royals, getting an overtime goal from Jenna Kurkowski (North Branch, Minn.) en route to a 2-1 victory — and a split in their two-game Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference series.
 
As was the case Friday, Bethel would strike first on Saturday — and for trhe second night in a row, take a 1-0 lead into the locker room after the first intermission. Lexi DeBace tallied the Royals' first-period goal, beating SMU goalie Celeste Rimstad (Richfield, Minn.) at 5:16 of the opening frame.
 
Unlike Friday, however, this time around, the Cardinals had an answer, getting a power-play goal from Kas Kingston (Black Diamond, Alberta) at the 7:27 mark of the second period to pull SMU even, 1-1.
 
And the two teams would remain deadlocked for the final 12:33 of the second period, and all 20 minutes of the third – until Kurkowski ended things with her overtime tally.
 
Saint Mary's started the extra session on the power-play – thanks to a late interference penalty on the Royals late in the third period. And, as the Royal attacker is returning to the ice, she is passed the puck, resulting in BU having too many skaters on the ice — and SMU went right back on the power play.
 
And this time, they cashed in, as Kurkowski banged home a Kingston rebound to seal the come-from-behind victory.
 
Rimstad finished with 30 saves in goal for the Cardinals, who outshot the Royals 47-31 — after holding a 32-22 edge in shots on goal in Friday's 2-0 loss.
 
The Cardinals (3-8-1 MIAC, 6-12-1 overall) are back in action next weekend, heading to Ritcfhie Arena in St. Cloud, Minn., for a pair of conference games against Saint Benedict.
 
 
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