After a tough season in 2017-18, the College of Saint Benedict hockey team heads into the 2018-19 season looking to learn from the past and move onward and upward.

With first-year head coach Nick Thibault at the helm, CSB looks to improve on its 2-21-1 overall record from a year ago, and make some moves in the MIAC after finishing 1-16-1 last season.

Saint Benedict starts its 2018-19 campaign Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26-27, with a pair of neutral-site games. The team 'hosts' Chatham University at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the National Hockey Center in Blaine, and then 'hosts' Concordia-Wisconsin at 2 p.m. Saturday in Blaine.
CSB's first true home game of the season – and the MIAC opener – is Thursday, Nov. 8, when it hosts Hamline – which took third in Division III last season – at 7:30 p.m. at the MAC in St. Cloud.

Last season, CSB started the year against UW-Eau Claire and Hamline – two teams that earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament at the end of the season – CSB hung with St. Olaf, and picked up a 3-3 overtime tie on Nov. 18. Saint Benedict's first win of the year came in overtime when it beat Northland 4-3 in Ashland, Wis., and the team beat Bethel 3-2 on Jan. 11.

This season, CSB looks to reverse the results of some of its one-goal games. Saint Benedict lost five games by a single goal last season – including two in overtime – and five more losses were by just two goals.

Saint Benedict lost Brigette Miller – its top scorer a year ago – to graduation, but returns its next five leading scorers from last season. Junior Courtney Conlin is back after finishing her sophomore season with six goals and four assists, and Riley Schneider returns after a stellar first-year season that saw her record five goals and seven assists.

Rylan Bistodeau (4), Mollie Wise (3) and Shelby Schneider (2) also return after scoring multiple goals for the team last year.

Saint Benedict returns two solid options in net in 2018-19. Sophomore Kailee Medved led the team and finished fourth in the MIAC with 458 saves last season. She had a .905 save percentage and played nearly 800 minutes in net. Also back is senior Julia Carle, who was seventh in the MIAC with 375 saves a year ago. The veteran duo will be joined by a pair of first year goalies in Madelyn Koss and Maggie Gilchrist.

Along with a new coaching staff, nine new faces join CSB's roster in 2018-19, including seven incoming first years.