After holding on for a 2-1 win over Saint Mary's University Friday evening, the St. Catherine University hockey team looked to pick up its first Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) series sweep in a game-two rematch. Instead, the Wildcats found themselves on the losing end after surrendering a late-game power play goal that allowed the Cardinals to scrape out a 3-2 win with 12 seconds remaining in overtime Saturday afternoon in Winona, Minnesota.
"To come out and play like we did the last 25 minutes is disappointing to say the least," said Head Coach
Brad Marshall. "This was a team loss that will hopefully teach all of us how important it is to play a complete game."
For the second game in a row, the Cardinals out-shot the Wildcats 34-18, including a third period where the Cardinals dominated possession and put 13 shots on goal to just one for the Wildcats. Prior to Saturday's game, the Wildcats had a flawless penalty kill record stopping all 17 opponent opportunities. But that changed as they allowed the Cardinals to go 2-for-3 on the advantage.
The game opened up in favor of the Cardinals as they held a 10-4 advantage in shots on goal. Then, the Cardinals,
managed to do what no other team has done yet this season,as two-time All-MIAC selection Macki Fadness scored a power play goal on a set up from McKenna Parent at the 15:15 mark to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead early in the game.
However, the Wildcats came out strong in the second period controlling the game momentum and finding an equalizer just 2:59 in when first-year
Maddy Zastrow (Greendale, Wis./Greendale) beat Cardinal goalie Marah Shields on an assist from
Randi Fabsits (Tinley Park, Ill./Victor J. Andrew) to even the score at 1-1.,Just 3:01 later,
Jordan Solheim (Thief River Falls, Minn./Thief River Falls) scored her first goal of the season unassisted to give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead they would carry into the intermission.
The Cardinals took control of play, though, in the third period being out-shot and taking a late game penalty that proved fatal in the long run for the Wildcats. Fadness buried a lose puck on the far side of the net on another power play opportunity tie the game at 2-2 with 1:25 remaining in regulation.
After several missed opportunities for the Wildcats and several big saves for
Kristen Pechacek (Park Falls, Wis./Chequamegon) in goal for the Wildcats, Rory Petrisin took advantage of a Wildcat mistake in front of Pechacek to lift the Cardinals to victory with just 12 seconds remaining.
Pechacek finished the game with 31 saves, while
Alex Pederson (Park Rapids, Minn./Park Rapids) led the Wildcats' offense with five shots on goal. With her assist on the first goal, Fabsits now has a team-high four on the season and is third on the team with five points. Solheim now jumps to four points on the season with her goal.
This was just the first win for the Cardinals over the Wildcats in four seasons. With the loss the Wildcats fall to 3-4-1 on the season and 2-3-1 in the MIAC with five points in the conference standings. The Wildcats will take several weeks off of competition before returning to action at home against Marian University in a non-conference match up Saturday, Jan. 3. Game time is set for 4 p.m. at Drake Arena.
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