PLATTSBURGH — There wasn't much goal scoring for most of the Plattsburgh State women's hockey team's Red/White game Saturday.

While the Cardinals lost three of their top five scorers from last season, coach Kevin Houle said the low-scoring intrasquad contest wasn't a sign of things to come. He still expects Plattsburgh State to be strong offensively.

But Houle also said there have been some changes.

"I think we're going to be a little bit of a different team," the seventh-year head coach said.

Plattsburgh State lost five forwards — including All-American Danielle Blanchard — two defensemen and two-year starting goaltender Danielle Beattie. The Cardinals went 22-5-2 last season and fell in the NCAA Division III quarterfinals.

The 2009-10 roster includes nine freshmen and a junior transfer. The Cardinals will host the Nepean Intermediate AA Wildcats in an exhibition next Sunday at 1 p.m. and then start the ECAC West season Nov. 14-15 at Chatham.

The White team led 2-1 late in Saturday's 50-minute scrimmage until the Red team tallied two goals in the final 1:38.

Houle said the Cardinals have tweaked their playing style.

"I think it's a little bit of (adjusting to) the changing of personnel and playing to our strengths," Houle said. "I think it's going to be effective. Basically, we just want to be more aggressive in all zones and try to play more of a puck possession game, play the game in the other team's end.

"Obviously, we always want to do that, but we're doing some things that should help us attain those goals."

Houle also said the Cardinals need to play better defensively and allow fewer chances.

The defensive unit includes four juniors and sophomores who played nearly every night last year, plus another sophomore who played some. The other three blueliners are freshmen.

Junior Kristen Bond said the newcomers have been adapting quickly, and the returners have made some adjustments, too.

"We're looking to be a lot more aggressive this year, which is a good key. It's working out well for us," Bond said. "I think it will be hard to play against. We're learning it, and it's coming (along) good."

They'll be playing in front of an untested goalie. Sophomore Anne Loewen and junior Mandy Mackrell, who both played sparingly last year, are back. Junior Jennifer Smith transferred in from Division I's Providence College, where she played in just one game last season. All three played Saturday.

Plattsburgh State's top two returning scorers are their two senior captains, Stephanie Moberg (18-21-39 last year) and Laurie Bowler (14-13-27).

Houle tabbed Moberg, a First-Team All-American last season, as the key player to help fill the hole left by two-way standout Blanchard. But he said it won't be up to any single player.

Houle said the team will need four or five of the newcomers to have an impact this season.

"It's not just going to be the freshmen obviously," Houle said. "It has to be some of the younger upperclassmen that maybe haven't had that role or spotlight before."

Moberg didn't dress Saturday, but Houle said he expects her to practice this week.

Beside last year's seven seniors, forward Vanessa Worz did not return. Worz skated in 24 games as a freshman last season. Kayla McDougall, who left the team midway through last season after a string of injuries and illness, is back for her senior year.

Last season ended earlier than normal for the Cardinals, who had played in the previous three national championship games and won the last two.

"I think people want it even more now, by not having gone there last year," Bowler said. "Especially all the freshmen coming in, they want it bad. So I think it's making us strive to push even harder to want to get that championship this year."

E-mail Courtney Lewis at: clewis@pressrepublican.com