For the St. Catherine University hockey team, 2015 hasn't started off in the way it hoped scoring just one goal in two games resulting in a loss and tie against non-conference teams from neighboring Wisconsin. Hoping to get back on track with a two-game road series against Concordia University Wisconsin, the Wildcats unfortunately came up just short in a 2-1 loss despite a late-game power play goal Friday evening at the Ozaukee Ice Center in Mequon, Wisconsin. 

Despite playing with the Falcons throughout the game and having several key scoring opportunities near the end of the game, the Wildcats couldn't find a way to score on equal strength. "We're not lucky right now," said Head Coach Brad Marshall. "When we work hard and control the play, we hit a post or the puck hits a skate instead of going in."

The game started off slow for both teams with just eight combined shots in the opening 20 minutes of play. However, the Wildcats managed to hold off the Falcon attack through the first period and again in the second despite being outshot 8-6. 

The Falcons finally broke free when Jayda Hoerres beat Abbi White (Wyoming, Minn./Forest Lake) at 8:02 of the first period to take a 1-0 lead over the Wildcats. Then, they faced another setback when Emily Heckendorf added another Falcon goal just 1:31 later with just over 10 minutes remaining. 

The Wildcats weren't ready to be counted out yet, though, as they were able to rely on their power play as they have done all season to bring them back into the game. At 15:27, Jordan Solheim (Thief River Falls, Minn./Thief River Falls) cut the Falcon lead in half on a set up from Annie Buttermore (Mahtomedi, Minn./Mahtomedi). That was as close as they would get in their attempted comeback before suffering their sixth loss of the season. 

White finished the game with 21 saves in goal for the Wildcats, while Megan Killmer (Savage, Minn./Burnsville) led the team with three shots on goal. Of the Wildcats' 19 goals this season, 10 have now come on power play opportunities as the Wildcats boast the best conversion percentage (22.2) in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC). 

With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 3-6-2 overall and are winless in their last four games. They will wrap up the away-away series Saturday against the Falcons at 2 p.m. 

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