Sacred Heart University Department of Athletics
5-6-0
Southern Maine
2-8-1
Woodford's Hat Trick, Including Two in Third, Gives Pioneers First Road Victory of Season at Southern Maine, 4-2
1/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
PORTLAND, Maine – The Sacred Heart University women's hockey overcame two early deficits and scored three answered goals to finish the game, including two in the third period, to pick up its first road win of the year, 4-2, at Southern Maine on Tuesday afternoon. Alanna Woodford netted the first hat trick of the season for the Pioneers to extend her team-high in goals to nine, as SHU wins its second straight to improve to 5-6 on the year. The loss drops the Huskies to 2-8-1 this season.
The eventual game-winner came less than two minutes into the final period. With the teams tied at 2-2, Heather Daley scored her second goal in as many games to put SHU ahead with 18:03 remaining. Megan Ofner and Hanna Skelley both recorded their second assists of the year on the play, which came after USM turned the puck over trying to come out of its own zone. Less than three minutes later, the Pioneers extended their lead on Woodford's third goal of the game with 16:14 on the clock. The senior came from behind the net to beat the goalie on wrap around. Casey Stathopoulos and Natasha Klinoff assisted, as Stathopoulos extended her team-high in assists to eleven on the year.
Shots were even throughout much of the game, with Southern Maine holding a slight 25-20 advantage. The two teams combined to go 0-3 on the power play.
Sacred Heart found itself in an early hole, as Southern Maine struck just 2:43 into the game. Talya Bent shot ricocheted in off the left post to give the Huskies an early 1-0 lead, with assists from Emilee Burris and Chelsea Boucher. It would not take the Pioneers long to equalize, as Woodford shot from the slot evened the score with 13:05 showing on the clock. From there, Amanda Fontaine would keep the score at 1-1 heading into the locker room, making nine of her 23 saves in the period, as Southern Maine outshot SHU 10-3.
In the second, the Huskies again came out of the locker room quickly, this time scoring just 52 seconds in. McKenna Russell scored unassisted after stealing a SHU pass and beating Fontaine one-on-one to give USM the 2-1 advantage. Sacred Heart applied pressure, outshooting Southern Maine 9-6 in the period, but could not break through until the 3:37 mark. Woodford netted her second of the game, this time unassisted on a shot from ten feet out to beat Courtney Davis and even the score heading into the second intermission.
Fontaine improved to 4-6 on the year, recoding 23 saves, while Davis, who made 16 stops, got the loss in her first appearance of the season.
Sacred Heart and the Huskies will face each other again tomorrow at 4 pm, as SHU continues its six game road trip.
