Down two goals with three minutes left to play Saturday afternoon, the College of Saint Benedict hockey team kicked up the intensity.

The Bennies pulled goalie Maggie Gilchrist with more than three minutes left, and used the extra attacker to pepper Augsburg's goalie. CSB got within one with 21 seconds left to play, but a last-second shot couldn't find its way to the back of the net and the Bennies fell 3-2 to Augsburg in the team's final scheduled home game.

After a scoreless first period, Saint Benedict (0-6-2) got on the board first in the second when Emily Lemker deflected what appeared to be just a quick pass over Augsburg's goalie's shoulder and into the back of the net. Reegan Patnode got the puck to Rachel DeCesare who sent a hot pass in front of the net to Lemker, who looked surprised when the puck ended up in the net after hitting her stick. The surprise goal came at the 4:24 mark of the second period and put CSB up 1-0.

That lead held for 10 minutes until the Auggies (2-5-1) went on the power play. Just a few seconds into the power play, Kalli Prekker scored to tie the game at 1-1. After the goal, the Bennies were sent back to the penalty box and Augsburg capitalized again, scoring a second power-play goal to take a 2-1 lead at the 15:47 mark.

Augsburg went up 3-1 at the 6:49 mark of the third on a shot that Gilchrist appeared to have saved, but then the puck bounced behind her and into the back of the net.

At the 16:33 mark head coach Nick Thibault pulled Gilchrist, and with the extra attacker CSB was able to get several shots on net in quick succession. The Bennies got within one goal at 19:39 when Corrine Brown scored off an assist from Julia Pias, and CSB had several nice passes right in front of the Augsburg net, but Augsburg held on for the win.

Gilchrist finished with 22 saves, including 12 in the second period. The Auggies had 25 shots on net to CSB's 20. A handful of players had two shots on net each to lead CSB's offense.

CSB is scheduled to end the 2021 season Saturday, March 21, when it travels to Winona to take on Saint Mary's.