EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — They hadn't played since Dec. 11, when the Cardinals dropped a 7-0 decision to St. Thomas, and Saint Mary's University women's hockey coach Duncan Ryhorchuk was hoping the new year would bring some new-found offensive punch.

It may have been a new year, but, unfortunately for Ryhorchuk, it was the same old Cardinals, as UW-Eau Claire handed SMU its second straight shutout loss, scoring two goals in each of the first two periods en route to a 4-0 nonconference victory.

The Cardinals, who have scored just one goal in their last three games — and just 17 goals in their first 11 games — managed only 15 shots on goal vs. the Blugolds in falling for the fourth time in four games.

UW-Eau Claire got all the offense it would need in the first period, as Crystal Wasem and Amberg Stevenson scored less than a minute apart in the game's first two minutes to give the Blugolds a 2-0 advantage.

Amanda Schultz and Laura Brackey added second-period goals as UW-Eau Claire outshot SMU 20-4 in the game's middle 20 minutes.