Affton, Mo. - The Maryville Saints club hockey fans did not quite know what to expect from their team as they came into their inaugural home game. The Saints had a rather tough weekend the week prior, dropping two games to No.17 Missouri State (Division I). However, the team was determined not to see a repeat result on home ice.
 
Maryville came out on Friday night with tons of energy, taking on an Indiana team that was playing their first game of the season. You could tell the difference in the two teams, with the Saints having all the jump and Indiana being slow to get into the game.
 
It would not take the Saints long to strike.  In the first period, Andrew Songstad took a pass and raced up the right wing. After cutting in toward the circle, he shot a pass across the top of the crease and Spencer Turner finished off the play with a one-time shot and goal at 7:52 of the first period.  It was the very first goal ever scored by Maryville on home ice.
 
Unfortunately, the good feelings didn't last too long as Indiana started getting their legs under them. The Hoosiers tied it up less than four minutes later. The period would stay tied at the end, but the Saints wasted little time regaining their advantage.
 
Kole Mudra scored at 1:39 of the second period, pushing the Saints lead to 2-1.  Yet, lightning did strike twice with Indiana tying it up and then taking the lead.  It was a coupled power plays that helped the Hoosiers. Indiana would score at the four-minute mark, jamming in a wraparound, and then again at the eight-minute mark as they jabbed in a rebound for another power play goal.
 
Not to be outdone, the Saints kept at it and were rewarded late in the period.  With only 44 seconds left in the second frame, Maryville tied it up as Damian Caringi snapped in the team's third goal to make it a tied 3-3 game. 
 
After a back and forth third period which yielded no scoring from either team, the contest went all the way to the shootout. Arren Romeril made the initial stop against Indiana, but needed two posts to save him in the next two rounds.  He stopped the Hoosiers fourth shooter as well, giving Kevin Gregory the chance to be the hero after three other Saints shooters were denied.
 
Gregory made a fancy stick move, freezing the goaltender and tucked the puck into the left side of the net. The Saints earned a 4-3 shootout victory and their first ever win in program history.
 
Unfortunately, there was a slight celebratory hangover come Saturday evening. The team did not have the same jump in their step and Indiana was looking for revenge.
 
The Hoosiers got on the board first as a loose puck managed to fall right to an Indiana forward in the slot, leaving first-time starter Scout Stalcup no chance to make a stop.  Everhett Grimes would get his second goal for Indiana in the second period, scoring only 93 seconds into the frame.
 
Despite the second goal allowed, Head Coach John Hogan's intermission talk seemed to ignite his players. They had more energy and determination.  The Saints were rewarded for their effort with a goal at 4:08 of the period. Matt Simoncelli intercepted an outlet pass as the Hoosiers tried to leave their zone. Simoncelli buried a shot from the left over the glove hand of the goaltender as he cut it back across the grain.
 
Minutes later, Simoncelli had a fantastic chance to tie the game as a rebound fell to him on the left and the net was mostly empty. Unfortunately, the puck slipped off the heel of his stick as he tried to shoot and the shot went wide. That proved to be the turning point of the game as what could have been a tying goal gave Indiana momentum.
 
The Hoosiers scored on another power play about halfway through the second period. Then, they put the nail in the coffin a little over two minutes into the third, scoring from the left wall on a dipping shot that just evaded Stalcup.
 
Midway through the third, Caringi would give the Saints hope. He scored a beautiful backhanded-shovel goal on the breakaway to cut the lead to 4-2.  It would not be enough, though, as Indiana scored one more insurance goal late in the third to make it a final of 5-2.
 
Despite the loss on Saturday, it was an exciting weekend of hockey for this new Maryville team. They got their first win in program history and first win on home ice. The crowds were spectacular as well, filling up the Affton Ice Rink with loud Saints fans.
 
Fans won't have to wait too long for their next action.  The Saints will travel to Wentzville, MO to take on Lindenwood University on Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m..  They will then come back home, to Affton, to play SIUE on Sept. 27. at 7 p.m..