Box Score

Saint Cloud, Minn. – The Saint Scholastica Women's hockey team traveled to Saint Cloud, Minn., to play the Bennies of the College of Saint Benedict in their first MIAC Conference game of the season. Tonight's game, the first of a two-game series, saw the Bennies pull away with a closely contested 5-3 victory. 

How it Happened

First Period
Tonight's MIAC Conference action opened early, with both teams committing penalties in quick succession to open the game up. It wasn't long before the Saints found themselves with a two-player disadvantage after committing their second penalty of the game. While hunkering down on defense, the Saints were able to kill the first penalty, but on the second, still playing with a one-skater disadvantage, the Bennies stuck first, securing an early 0-1 lead. 

Following the opening goal, both teams made their offensive presence known, with several shots being rang out from both sides. With just over three minutes remaining in the period, the Bennies were able to release a barrage of six shots against the Saints. On the sixth, the Bennies' lead was doubled, with a lead of 0-2.

Trying to finish the period without letting up another goal, the Saints began to tighten up on defense. Unfortunately for them, the Bennies would net their third goal of the first period. Period one would come to a close shortly thereafter, with the Bennies ahead 0-3. 

Second Period
Following the toil of the first period, the Saints wanted to come out into the second period with some vigor on both sides of the puck, and that they did. The Saints started strong on offense after finding themselves on a power play only 40 seconds into the period, giving the Saints an early opportunity to gain some momentum. While on the power play, the Saints managed to get five total shots off, with only two falling on net. Following the power play, they managed another six total shots with two finding the goaltender, and two getting caught up in the defense. 

Shortly thereafter, the Bennies had their turn on offense, attempting a total of five shots, with two landing in the glove of Makenzie Cole (Cohasset, MN/Grand Rapids HS), another getting blocked by Lyndi Schubert (Mantorville, MN/Kasson-Mantorville HS), and the fifth and final shot finding the back of the net, giving the Bennies a four-goal lead. 

Following this goal, the Saints called a timeout to try something new. Coming out of the timeout, we saw Kieley Currow in the net for the Saints. Not long after the Saints' timeout, they found themselves on defense once more, and only a couple of minutes after the Bennies' last goal, they once again managed to extend their lead, now to five. 

The Saints did not end this period scoreless, as just over a minute later, the Saints found themselves on a power play, and Grace Chapman (Blaine, MN/Blaine HS), off a loose puck, managed to slip a shot past the goaltender to finally put the Saints on the board before the end of the second period. 

Third Period
Opening the third period, both teams found a drive offensively, exchanging rallies of shots, but both met with excellent defense. Following the exchange of offenses, the Saints found themselves on a power play that was killed off by the Bennies; however, just seconds after that, the Saints were once again on a power play. This time, not wanting to waste an opportunity, Bailey Coole (Duluth, MN/Duluth East HS) managed to work her way through the defense and past the goaltender to cash in the Saints' second goal of the night, twelve minutes into the third period. Only 33 seconds later, the Saints offense once again found a rhythm, with Alaina Hedberg (St. Paul, MN/Tartan HS) moving the puck to Emma Laming (Stillwater, MN/Gentry Academy), and finally to Morgan Mitchell (Farmington, MN/Farmington HS), who skillfully found a spot to bury the puck for the Saints' third goal. 

The game came to a close with the Saints unable to mount a full comeback, and as the final horn sounded, the Bennies took the win with a final score of 3-5.

Goaltending
Saints – Makenzie Cole (Cohasset, MN/Grand Rapids HS): Faced 20 shots, recorded 16 saves, .800 save percentage.
            -- Kieley Currow: Faced 11 shots, recorded 10 saves, .909 save percentage

Bennies – Lexi Badali: Faced 32 shots, recorded 29 saves, .906 save percentage.

What's Next
The Saints (2-2-0, 0-1-0 MIAC) will stay in Duluth, Minn. host the Bennies (1-1-0, 1-0-0 MIAC) in the Saints' home opener. This match-up is scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, November 15, at 4 pm.