By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
ST. PETER, Minn. — After erupting for a season-high seven goals in a 7-4 win over UW-Stout in their final nonconference game of the year last Friday, the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's hockey team returned to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Friday evening at Gustavus.
 
And managed just one goal.
 
Thanks to the play of Aaron Davis (Mound, Minn.), however, one goal was all the Cardinals needed.
 
Davis stopped all 31 shots he faced and Andrew Cummings (Anchorage, Alaska) scored the game's only goal in the first period, as the Cardinals picked up their third straight win, beating the Gusties 1-0 at Don Roberts Ice Arena.
 
"I was very happy with the way we played today," understated Saint Mary's coach Bill Moore. "Aaron was solid in goal and we played well defensively in front of him. It was a fun game to be a part of."
 
Cummings, who missed the entire first half of the season due to an injury, scored his third goal of the season—in just his fourth game—at 6:07 of the first period. Kelvin Walz (Woodbury, Minn.) and Kyle Meeh (Fenton, Mo.) collected the assists.
 
Little did Moore and the Cardinals know, however, that Cummings' first-period effort would account for all of the night's scoring.
 
Thanks in large part to Davis.
 
The senior goalie saved his best for last, stopping all 12 third-period Gustavus shots en route to his second collegiate shutout. GAC goalie Chris Amsden, meanwhile, finished with 26 saves.
 
The Cardinals (3-5-1 MIAC, 6-10-2 overall) and Gusties head to the Saint Mary's Ice Arena on Saturday for the second game of their two-game conference series. Opening faceoff is slated for 7 p.m.