Notables
-Pionk and Mismash each with five-point games
-Pionk's first collegiate hat trick
-Mismash's 4 assists most by Saint since Fralich's 4 vs. Saint John's in Dec. 2018
-CSS has scored at least five goals in each of its last five wins
DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica men's hockey team scored the final seven goals of the game with senior
Nate Pionk (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown HS (Minot-NAHL)) recording a hat trick as the Saints defeated Saint Mary's University 9-3 Tuesday night at Mars Lakeview Arena.
How it Happened
Each time Saint Mary's scored a goal, the Saints responded with a goal within 90 seconds.
The Cardinals (4-2) scored the first goal of the contest, but
Nate Pionk (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown HS (Minot-NAHL)) tied it 1:25 later to make it 1-1 at the first intermission.
Sam Fuss (Edina, Minn./Edina HS (Minot-NAHL)) and
Parker Mismash (Edina, Minn./Edina HS (Minnesota Magicians-NAHL)) had the assists.
SMU then scored 30 seconds in the second period, only to see Mismash answer 58 seconds later to tie the game at 2-2. After Saint Mary's scored their second power-play goal of the second period, CSS scored right off the ensuing faceoff with Mismash finding Pionk for goal No. 2 of the night and tie it once again at 3-3.
St. Scholastica took its first lead of the game on a give-and-go-and-give again between the Ledenkov twins as
Arkhip Ledenkov (Polotsk, Belarus/Ostroshitsko-Gorodokskaya (New York Aviators-USPHL)) found
Filimon Ledenkov (Polotsk, Belarus/Ostroshitsko-Gorodokskaya (New York Aviators-USPHL)) to make the score 4-3. Five minutes later, Alex Severson made it a 5-3 game with another assist coming from Mismash.
CSS tacked on one more in the period with Pionk recording the hat trick on Mismash's fourth assist and another coming
Daniel Sukhonos (Kharkiv, Ukraine/Brovary Professional Lyceum (New York Aviators-USPHL)).
The Saints kept it rolling in the third period with A. Ledenkov finding the net with assists from brother Filimon and Severson. Two more goals came on the power-play with the first by
Michael Talbot (Anoka, Minn./Anoka HS (Minot-NAHL)) and the last by
Sam Fuss (Edina, Minn./Edina HS (Minot-NAHL)) to make it a 9-3 final score.
Jordan Fralich (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Marshall School (Bismarck-NAHL)) and Pionk assisted Talbot's goal, while Talbot and Pionk assisted Fuss' goal.
Goaltending
Nick Trenciansky (Vancouver, British Columbia/Holy Cross Regional HS (Kindersley-SJHL)) made 27 saves in the win for CSS. Connor Close and Nick Nast combined for 31 saves for the Cardinals.
Up Next
The Saints (6-6-0) now have to wait and see who and where they will play in the quarterfinals of the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) Harris Cup Playoffs next Wednesday. An opponent and location will be determined after Saturday's conference games have completed.
