Opening night of the 2009-10 MIAC ice hockey season brought rivals the College of Saint Benedict and the University of Saint Thomas together on the ice for the first time this year as the two teams battled it out at the MAC in Saint Cloud, MN. Virtually even through two periods of play, the Tommies used a three goal third period to pull away from the Blazers in securing the win 5-2.

Saint Benedict knew they would have their hands full playing the Tommies; a team that has made it to the conference playoff finals for the last six years. For two periods, the team skated the fast, up-tempo style the Tommies deploy, leading to the two teams recording virtually identical shots on goal and faceoffs won.

Coming out of the locker room at the start of the second period down 1-0, the two teams again traded shots with each other before Saint Thomas went ahead 2-0 off of Kara Ledel's goal. The team answered back less than ten minutes later as junior center Jennifer Yelle (Coon Rapids, MN, Coon Rapids) knocked in her third goal of the season for the Blazers. Yelle was assisted on the play by junior forward Gretchen Leyendecker (Rochester, MN, Lourdes).

Outshot 14-4 in the third period as Saint Thomas pulled away; the Blazers head into the afternoon game tomorrow knowing that just a few small adjustments need to be made.

“Tonight was a step forward for Blacker hockey and our program,” head coach Pat Michaud stated. "It wasn't a leap forward, but it was still a step forward."

Junior goaltender Abbie Helminen (Brighton, MI, Brighton (Belle Tire)) stopped 25 shots for the Blazers while sophomore Rachel Welz (Oconomowoc, WI, Oconomowoc) nabbed her first goal/points of the season.

The Blazers are back in action tomorrow afternoon as they finish their series with the University of St. Thomas at 2 pm in Mendota Heights.

Box Score