ST. PETER, Minn. — The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Playoff title game proved to be a classic reproduction of David vs. Goliath.
Playing the role of Goliath: The nation's No. 2-ranked team, Gustavus, which owned a 13-0-3 record in its last 16 meetings with the Cardinals — including shutout wins in four of the teams' last five meetings. Oh, and the Gusties just so happened to be the reigning MIAC regular-season champion and the defending national champion.
In the role of David: The Saint Mary's University women's hockey team — an MIAC Playoff championship game neophyte, making its first title appearance in more than 20 years.
Unlike the biblical David, however, the Cardinals were loaded with more than a stone and a slingshot.
Armed with a six-shooter loaded with more offensive firepower than SMU has possessed in decades — and a defensive shield that was virtually impenetrable — the Cardinals took the ice at Don Roberts Ice Rink Saturday afternoon poised to do a little Goliath slaying.
Unfortunately, the Gusties found a chink in the Cardinals' armor — and one little crack was all they needed.
Gustavus scored single goals in the first and third periods, and GAC goalie Katie McCoy recorded a 25-save shutout, as the Gusties blanked the Cardinals 2-0 to claim its record-tying fourth MIAC Playoff title — and the coveted automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
Saint Mary's, meanwhile, will have to wait until Sunday evening's NCAA selection show to see if its 19-6-2 body of work is good enough to earn one of the few NCAA at-large bids. The selection show will air at 7:30 p.m. on NCAA.com
Gustavus would strike first six minutes into the opening period on a goal by Macy Janssen, who was the recipient of a perfect GAC face-off win and whistled a wrister past SMU goalie
Celeste Rimstad (Richfield, Minn.) for a 1-0 Gustie lead.
The Cardinals stole the momentum in the second period, outshooting the Gusties 12-5. Wrestling away the momentum, however, was one thing — stealing the lead away was another things altogether.
Allie Urlaub (Burnsville, Minn.) had SMU's best scoring chance late in the second period, but Katie McCoy was up to the challenge, stymying the SMU junior at the doorstep with 1:33 to play, keeping it a 1-0 GAC advantage after two periods.
The Gustie advantage climbed to two-goals in the blink of an eye to open the third period, as Kaitlyn Holland beat Rimstad just 43 seconds into the final stanza.
And, no matter how hard they pressed over the game's final 19 minutes, the Cardinals would have no answer in falling for the third time this season against the high-powered Gusties.
Saint Mary's closed out the contest with a 25-17 edge in shots on goal, but McCoy was up to the challenge, stopping all 25 in recording her ninth shutout of the season, while Rimstad delivered a 17-save performance between the pipes for SMU.
