Last Action: Tonight’s game is the season-opener for the Cardinals, and the first-ever collegiate varsity game for Finlandia.

A Year Ago: Tonight's game marks the first-ever meeting between the Lions and the Cardinals.

This and That:

Melissa Mondo Top returning scorer with 15 G, 17 A

The Cardinals made their fourth straight MIAC playoff appearance last season, falling to Augsburg 2-1 in the opening round. … Emily Kearns (Hopkins, Minn.) and Melissa Mondo (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) were SMU's representatives on the All-MIAC team. … Kearns, who ended the season as the team leader in all three offensive categories - goals (22), assists (21) and points (43) - was named to the JOFA-American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) West All-America First-Team. … Kearns closed out her illustrious four-year career as SMU's all-time goal-scoring leader with 99 goals, while her 153 career points are second to Missy Westergren's record-setting total of 154. She also leaves as the Cardinals' leader in goals (32) and points (50) in a season. Her 21 assists this season were just two short of the single-season record. … Seven of Kearns' 22 goals were game-winners — first on the team and second in all of NCAA Division III. … SMU's goaltending tandem of Nikki Jung (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) and Amanda Gage (Lino Lakes, Minn.) boasted a 1.65 goals-against-average and a .932 save percentage.