PIoneers Third Period Effort Not Enough in Loss to Wesleyan

Tuesday, January 19

7 pm

Sacred Heart

7-8-2

Wesleyan

4-9-0

Team	1	2	3	F
Wesleyan	2	0	0	2
Sacred Heart	1	0	0	1

PIoneers Third Period Effort Not Enough in Loss to Wesleyan

1/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey

Box Score

SHELTON, Conn. - A barrage of Sacred Heart third period shots were not enough as three first period goals held up in the Pioneers' 2-1 loss to Wesleyan on Tuesday night at the Sports Center of Connecticut. After opening the New Year 5-1, SHU has now lost three straight by a combined four goals to drop to 7-8-2.

Following a near even first two periods in which Wesleyan (4-9-0) had a slight 18-17 edge in shots, Sacred Heart held a 15-6 advantage in the final twenty minutes. That included the final six of game, and four in the final 1:37 after the Pioneers pulled their goalie, but time after time Cardinal goalkeeper Laura Corcoran had the answer.

In total, Corcoran made 31 stops on 32 shots, while SHU goaltender Nicole Magee opposed her with 22 saves. The Pioneers outshot the Cardinals 32-24 for the game, and went 1-3 on the power play while killing two penalties.

The game got off to a frantic start with Wesleyan's Maddie Nash scoring on the game's first shot just 1:27 in. After each team killed off a power play, the third man advantage of the game evened the score. Cassandra Hanlon had her initial shot from the point blocked, only to have the rebound fall right to her. She fired another shot, which Brittany Smith was able to deflect in for her third goal of the year with 6:23 remaining. The assist was Hanlon's third, moving her into a tie for the team lead with five points by a defenseman. The tie did not last long though, as the next Cardinal shot by Ellery Sarosi put them back on top just 1:26 later.

After Wesleyan had one more shot than SHU in the first, 9-8, the second was dead even with both teams recording nine attempts on net. Looking as if the game would head into the second intermission still 2-1, the Cardinals had one final opportunity to take double its lead with the best opportunity of the period. Laura Mead skated in on net following a SHU turnover and beat Magee, only to have her shot denied by the crossbar with less than one minute to go.

Sacred Heart next takes the ice on Friday for a home and home with Becker. After the Hawks hosts a Friday date set for 6:50 pm, the two teams will play at the Sports Center of Connecticut on Saturday at 4 pm.