WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's women's hockey team (6-5-0) delivered a statement win on home ice Friday night, knocking off No.9-ranked UW-Eau Claire (11-5-0) with a gritty 2-1 victory fueled by a dominant opening period and a locked-in defensive effort down the stretch.

The Cardinals wasted no time seizing momentum, striking twice in the first period and forcing the nationally ranked Bluegolds to chase the game the rest of the night. 

Saint Mary's set the tone immediately off the opening faceoff, controlling possession and attacking early. The pressure paid off at 15:16 of the first period when Maggie Albers finished a setup from Reese Heitzman, sending the home crowd into a roar. 

Just minutes later, the Cardinals doubled the lead as Sophia Paduano buried a feed from Celia Midtbo at 17:08, giving Saint Mary's a commanding 2-0 advantage after one.

The second period turned into a defensive battle. 

Saint Mary's continued to generate chances, including an early power play, but couldn't find the back of the net. On the other end, the Cardinals' defense tightened, turning away Eau Claire rushes and limiting second chances. 

A late penalty handed the Bluegolds momentum heading into the third, but the scoreboard remained unchanged.

The Blugolds pushed hard in the final frame, firing shots from every angle. Nora Carstensen finally broke through at 9:00 to pull the Bluegolds within one, but Saint Mary's responded with poise. 

The Cardinals killed off two critical penalties in the closing minutes, with bodies in shooting lanes and sticks disrupting passing lanes, sealing the upset.

Paduano's first-period goal stood as the game-winner, as she finished with two shots on goal. In net, Magali Fillion was outstanding, stopping 31 shots and allowing just one goal as Saint Mary's shut down a top-10 opponent in dramatic fashion.

The Cardinals will enjoy this win as they gear up to travel to UW-Eau Claire tomorrow to face the Blugolds once more this weekend. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.