ST. PAUL, +-MINN. – The winter season is filled with anticipation for the St. Catherine University hockey team. The Wildcats were looking to start their 2016-17 season on a high note with an upset win over nationally ranked Lake Forest College. While St. Kate's scored the first goal of the game, the team was unable to hold the Foresters offense at bay and fell by a score of 5-1.

The Wildcats were aggressive to open the game, despite the Lake Forest's attempts to control the puck early and often. That early aggression payed off seven minutes into the first period when St. Kate's went on the power play for the first time all game. The Foresters drew a hooking penalty at 6:19, giving the Wildcats an extra skater and the first chance to go on the power play. The team certainly did not miss the opportunity to score, as Alex Pederson (Park Rapids, Minn. / Park Rapids) scored her first goal of the season in the crease off passes from Tori Thompson (Rochester, Minn. / Mayo) and Morgan Tentis (Victoria, Minn. / Chanhassen).

However, after St. Kate's scored the opening goal, Lake Forest answered with a goal of its own two minutes later. Amy Buddle beat Wildcat goalie Kristen Pechacek (Park Falls, Wis. / Chequamegon) on her glove side to even the score 1-1.

After that, the Foresters extended their lead with two consecutive power play goals. The first came at 13:36 in the first period and the second at 14 minutes in the second period.

Down 3-1, the Wildcats went on a shooting spree in the remaining minutes of the period, eventually outshooting Lake Forest 13-12 in the second. Unfortunately, a few defensive mistakes proved costly for St. Kate's, as the Foresters scored a short-handed goal at 10:44 in the third period.

To try and cut the deficit, the Wildcats pulled Pechacek for an extra skater but Lake Forest scored an empty-net goal to seal the 5-1 victory shortly after the goalie left the ice.

Despite the final score, head coach Brad Marshall felt the game was much closer than the final score indicated. St. Kate's generated multiple offensive opportunities on the ice and had multiple chances to score on Forester goalie Jacqueline Audet. In fact, there was plenty for the young team to learn.

"Game one taught us that when we work hard and move our feet, we can control the play," Marshall said after the game. "When we stand and watch, giving them too much time and space, bad things happen."

Although she suffered her first loss of the season, Pechacek faced 45 shots and made 41 saves in 59:41 minutes of work. Audent made 23 saves and faced 24 shots in 60 minutes in goal.

The Wildcats will look to close the series with a split when they return to the ice tomorrow to take on Lake Forest at 2 p.m.