WINONA, Minn. — If Saint Mary’s University men’s hockey coach Bill Moore had his way, his Cardinals would continue to follow the same script — but with a different ending.
For the fifth time since Christmas, the Cardinals entered the third period against St. Thomas Friday evening nursing a one-goal, 3-2 advantage.
And, unfortunately for Moore, for the fifth time since Christmas, the Cardinals would not hold that lead, as the Tommies scored twice in the game’s final 20 minutes — tying the game 1:27 into the frame, then getting the game-winner on the power play with 10 minutes remaining — in handing SMU a 4-3 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback at the SMU Ice Arena.
“It’s frustrating,” said Moore. “We just can’t seem to find a way to hold that lead in the third period. We played very well tonight — we just go an unfortunate break on a checking from behind penalty, and (St. Thomas) capitalized on it.
“We’ve just can’t seem to get that big goal when we need it.”
Blake Zemaitis (Mount Prospect, Ill.) got the Cardinals on the board first, netting his second of the season 9:44 into the opening period, and
Morgan Shepherd (Brainerd, Minn.) made it 2-0 before the period ended, scoring the first of his two goals at 18:26, as SMU went into the locker room after 20 minutes leading 2-0.
That two-goal lead didn’t last long, however, as St. Thomas scored twice two minutes apart midway through the second period to tie things at 2-2. Shepherd would give the Cardinals the lead once again, banging home a rebound to give SMU a 3-2 advantage heading into the game’s final 20 minutes.
UST’s Steve Murphy tied the game, beating SMU goalie
Jason Horstman (Faribault, Minn.) just 1:27 into the third period, and, just a miute after SMU’s
Beau Braun (Darwin, Minn.) was whistled for a five-minute checking from behind penalty, Rob Johnson netted the game-winner, beating Horstman from the slot for his sixth goal of the season.
Horstman finished with 30 saves for the Cardinals, while UST goalie Joe Schraeder kicked out 20 of the Cardinals’ 23 shots.
The Cardinals hit the road Saturday, traveling to Mendota Heights, Minn., for the second game of their two-game conference series with the Tommies. Game time is set for 7 p.m.