The St. Catherine University hockey team hoped to open the 2015 season on a positive note after settling for a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) split to end 2014. In order to do so, the Wildcats would need to find a way to get their scoring going having tallied the second-lowest total of goals in the MIAC so far this year. Unfortunately, their season opener wasn't going to be the day the Wildcat scoring picked up as they settled for a 0-0 scoreless tie in a non-conference matchup with Marian University Saturday afternoon at Drake Arena in St. Paul. 

"I like this group," said Head Coach Brad Marshall, "but we know we could have played better. At the college level, anytime you hold the opponent to zero goals for 65 minutes you are doing something right. Abbi White (Wyoming, Minn./Forest Lake) had some key saves for us and we out-chanced them. We will just keep pushing forward, working hard and focus on Tuesday night." 

Making her third start of the season, White collected a career-high 29 saves  and her first collegiate shutout against the Sabres thanks to several key stops late in the third period that kept the Wildcats alive. The Wildcats managed to outshoot their opponent 37-29 with Brianna Alexander stopping all of the Wildcats opportunities. 

After outshooting the Sabres 12-7 in the opening 20 minutes, the intensity picked up in the second period as five penalties were assessed between the two teams and the Sabres flipped the tables and outshot the Wildcats 12-9.

Then in the third period, the Wildcats appeared as if they might take a 1-0 lead early before an apparent Shelby Salmonsen (Faribault, Minn./Faribault) goal was disallowed. The Wildcats continued to push the intensity taking an 11-8 advantage in shooting. With less than five minutes to play, the Wildcats earned a power play opportunity where they poured on the shots and nearly ended the deadlock when Megan Killmer (Savage, Minn./Burnsville) hit the pipe. 

Neither team could find a way to score in the additional five minutes of overtime and the Wildcats move to 3-4-2 on the season. This was the first scoreless tie for the Wildcat program since Feb. 15, 2003, when the Wildcats played Augsburg College to 0-0 in OT. Killmer and Bailey Rasmussen (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) each had five shots on goal to lead the Wildcats offensively Saturday. 

The Wildcats return to action again Tuesday in a non-conference contest against UW-Eau Claire. Game time is slated for 7 p.m. at Drake Arena. 

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