NORTHFIELD, Minn. – For just the seventh time in program history, the College of Saint Benedict hockey team reached the 10-win milestone Saturday afternoon – and the big win came in dramatic fashion.
The Bennies scored three unanswered goals to turn a 3-1 first-period deficit into a 4-3 win Saturday to earn the season split with St. Olaf. CSB scored a pair of power play goals to come away with the win in Northfield.
With one series left in the regular season, the Bennies are now 10-9-1 overall and 6-5-1 in the MIAC. Heading into Saturday's game, CSB was holding onto fifth in the conference standings just ahead of Augsburg.
After picking up a 2-1 win Friday in St. Cloud, St. Olaf (8-15, 2-14) seemed to have all the momentum Saturday as it scored a trio of first-period goals – including two within three minutes – to take a 3-1 lead after the first 20 minutes. The Oles scored first, and senior
Annika Brodt tied the game a the 14:26 mark off an assist from
Jenna Timm, but St. Olaf scored in the 15
th and 18
th minutes to take a two-goal lead.
The Bennies weren't done yet, however. They scored twice in the second to tie the game thanks to goals from
Zoe Culshaw-Klein and Brodt's second goal of the game. Culshaw-Klein's goal came in the seventh minute off assists from
Kennedy Morris and Brodt, and Brodt scored on the power play in the 18
th minute off assists from
Brynn Sexauer and
Julia Pias.
Saint Benedict broke the tie midway through the final period when
Ava Stinnett scored on the power play – the team's second power play goal of the game – at the 9:15 mark thanks to an assist from Timm. The Oles put a few shots on net in the final 10 minutes, but CSB stayed aggressive so St. Olaf was never able to pull its goalie to get the extra skater on the ice.
First year goalie
Kate Moffat picked up her third win of the season after stopping all 11 shots she faced in the final two periods. Saint Benedict finished the game outshooting the Oles 30-20, and Brodt led the team with five shots on net.
CSB wraps up the regular season Friday and Saturday, Feb. 18-19, against Augsburg. The two teams play at 7 p.m. Friday in St. Cloud.