After a 9-0 loss at Mankato Thursday, the St. Thomas men’s hockey team couldn’t quite get the win under their belt Saturday. The Tommies lost 5-0 to No. 3-ranked Minnesota State University-Mankato before a sold out crowd at St. Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights.
Graduate student goaltender Peter Thome was the light in the tunnel for the Tommies, saving 28 of 33 shots that came his way.
“You always want to have them all,” Thome said. “It is what it is.”
A penalty-filled and tense first period only saw one Mankato goal from junior forward Cade Borchardt just over eight minutes into the period in an even-strength shot, putting the Tommies (1-13, 1-9 CCHA) only down by one at the end of the period.
A combined 12 minutes in the penalty box in the first period gave both the Tommies and the Mavericks (11-3, 7-1 CCHA) power play opportunities that neither team took up. The Mavericks led 7-2 in shots on the period.
“I thought we battled a little bit harder today,” coach Rico Blasi said. “You got to play heavy, you got to play within yourself and you got to take what the game gives you.”
Less time was spent in the penalty box by both teams in the second period, which led to 16 more shots by Mankato, including goals by junior forwards Nathan Smith and Sam Morton, both within the first five minutes of the second period.
The third period saw two more goals from the Mavericks, one came two and a half minutes into the period off of a power play goal by junior forward Lucas Sowder. Junior forward Ryan Sandelin scored the second just over halfway into the period.
First-year forward Kyler Grundy attempted four shots, two of them on goal, leading the team tonight in both of those stats.
“Just trying to do my part,” Grundy said. “We just got to get down, cycle the puck more and then get pucks to the net.”
St. Thomas had nine shots on goals the entire game, none of which made it past Mavericks senior goaltender Dryden McKay.
The Tommies have a quick turnaround between games, playing Penn State University back at home Tuesday at 7 p.m.
“You can’t do anything about it,” Blasi said about tonight’s loss. “Now we’ve just got to get better on Monday and get back to work and be ready to play on Tuesday.”
Justin Amaker can be reached at justin.amaker@stthomas.edu.