Northfield, Minn. – The Saint Scholastica Women's hockey team traveled south to Northfield, Minn. to compete in the first of a two-game MIAC Conference series against the Oles of Saint Olaf College. Tonight's conference action saw the Saints claim another MIAC victory. THe Saints found themselves victorious tonight following a power play goal from Greta Culshaw-Kein to win 1-0.

How it Happened

First Period
The opening period of tonights game saw the Saints establish early offensive-zone possessions and testing the Oles' defense with steady pressure. 

That work paid off midway through the opening period on the power play. At 8:39, Greta Culshaw-Klein (Maplewood, MN/Tartan HS) found space and buried a shot for her first collegiate goal, finishing a smooth setup from Victoria Nelson (Mahtomedi, MN/Mahtomedi HS) and Alaina Hedberg (St. Paul, MN/Tartan HS). The Saints' power-play unit moved the puck confidently, and the early goal gave CSS a 1–0 lead that would stand the rest of the night.

From there, the Saints stayed aggressive, continuing to send pucks toward the net and controlling key faceoffs to keep momentum on their side heading into intermission.

Second Period
The middle frame tested the Saints' endurance. St. Olaf pushed hard, earning multiple power-play chances, but the Saints' penalty kill unit rose to the occasion. 

Behind it all was goaltender Makenzie Cole (Cohasset, MN/Grand Rapids HS), who turned aside everything that reached her. She was sharp through traffic and calm under sustained pressure, making a series of key saves to preserve the one-goal advantage. Even while shorthanded, the Saints found moments to counter, generating a few quality looks of their own and keeping the Oles from fully settling in.

Third Period
Protecting a slim lead in the third, St. Scholastica leaned into a smart, structured game. The Saints continued to win important draws and chipped pucks out of danger, forcing St. Olaf to work for every inch of ice. Cole remained rock-solid in net, tracking shots cleanly and controlling rebounds.

Late in the period, with the Oles pressing and eventually pulling their goalie for the extra attacker, the Saints' defense held firm. Multiple shots were blocked in the final minutes, and the Saints never wavered under the pressure. When the final horn sounded, CSS had locked down a 1–0 shutout win.

Goaltending
Saints, Makenzie Cole (Cohasset, MN/Grand Rapids HS): Played 60:00, faced 31 shots, recorded 31 saves, save percentage of 1.00.
Oles, Hannah Fritz: Played 58:48. faced 19 shots, recorded 18 saves, save percentage of .947.

What's Next
The Saints (8-11-1, 3-8-1 MIAC) will return to Duluth, Minn. to host the Oles (9-10-0, 6-6-0 MIAC) of Saint Olaf College in the second game of the series on Saturday, February 7 at 4 PM.