NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Junior Jared Pedersen recorded the first two-goal game of his career to help the St. Olaf College men's hockey team rally for a 3-2 win over Saint Mary's University in head coach Eddie Effinger's debut on Tuesday evening at St. Olaf Ice Arena.

Saint Mary's (5-5) built a 2-0 lead after the first period on goals by Sam Hanson and Tommy Stany, but St. Olaf (1-0) countered with three second-period goals to take the lead. In his second start as an Ole, junior Colin Cain made the lead stand up, making 16 of his career-high 33 saves in the final 20 minutes to pick up the first win of his career.

The Cardinals went ahead at the 4:43 mark of the opening period when Hanson redirected a Noah Kiemel past Cain for the game's opening goal. With less than a minute remaining in the period, Saint Mary's doubled its lead on a power-play goal by Tommy Stang to take a 2-0 lead after one.

Less than two minutes into the second period, three first years combined to get St. Olaf on the board, as Noah Heisler put away a rebound in front for a goal assisted by Nick Spolec and Luke Suter. Ten minutes later, Pedersen blasted in a slap shot from outside the circles to tie the game, with Heisler and Evan Shoemaker earning assists on the goal.

Pedersen capped the three-goal third period with his second of the night at 15:46 for what proved to be the game-winning goal, as Ashton Altmann found Pedersen in front after forcing a turnover in the Saint Mary's defensive zone.

The Cardinals outshot the Oles by a 16-4 margin in the third period but could not find a way past Cain. Saint Mary's held a 35-24 advantage in shots on goal in the game.

St. Olaf is scheduled to host Hamline University on Saturday, March 20 at 7 p.m. in its second of two games this season.