WINONA, Minn. — The scenario was simple for the Saint Mary's University men's hockey team Friday night — win their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game against Hamline, and the Cardinals were in the MIAC playoffs for the first time since the 1996-97 season.

They did, and they are.

Marcus Reszka (Winona, Minn.) scored two goals and assisted on another as SMU cruised to a 4-1 victory over the Pipers, locking up that elusive MIAC playoff berth in the process.

"We played well," said SMU coach Don Olson, whose team scored once in the first period — on Reszka's first goal of the game — then added three more in the second period. "I thought the second period was one of our better periods — we just totally dominated."

Reszka, Lenny Hofmann (Sartell, Minn.) and Nick Meeker (Rochester, Minn.) all scored second-period goals for SMU, which outshot Hamline 19-8 in the middle period. Eric Weum foiled SMU goalie Curtis Nosal's (Omaha, Neb.) bid for a shutout, scoring midway through the third period.

"The guys knew what was at stake tonight," said Olson. "They knew a win would get them a playoff berth, and they went out and took care of business."

The Cardinals still have a bit of business left unfinished, however. While Friday's win gave SMU a spot in the five-team MIAC post-season tournament, a win Saturday would mean SMU would lock up the No. 4 spot, and host the opening-round game on Tuesday, March. 2.

"This was a great win for our program," said Olson. "But we've still got some work left to do."