FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Two second period goals were not enough as the Sacred Heart University women's ice hockey team fell in the opening round of the Ice Breaker tournament Friday night, dropping a 4-2 contest to Lindenwood University.
In a start-and-stop opening frame, the Lions started out with a monumental opportunity just over two minutes into the game as
Sophie Lupone was sent off for a hooking minor that the Pios were able to kill off. However, the Pios became shorthanded four minutes later after a hooking call gave the Lions another opportunity to take the lead halfway through the period.
Just 32 seconds into the power-play, the Lions cashed in with Morgan Neitzke's first of the game after her wrist shot from the slot made it past the glove of Greene and into the corner of the goal to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The Pios earned their first power-play of the night but could not convert as the Lions held on to their one-goal lead after the first 20 minutes of action.
The Red & White fought back into the game early in the middle frame with
Paige McNeil's first goal of the season to knot the bout at one a piece. After a shot from the point from
Olivia LaRoche was tipped by
Kate Helgeson in front, right on to the stick of McNeil who slotted the puck into the empty net.
Nearing the halfway point of the period, the Lions reclaimed the lead after Neitzke took the puck away from a SHU defender and fired a wrist that deflected off a skate in front and into the net for her second of the game as the Lions went back on top, 2-1.
After chances at both ends, the Pioneers tied the game with under five minutes to go in the frame as
Kerryn O'Connell scored her first goal of the season, taking the puck away from an unsuspecting Lindenwood defender and firing a wrist shot past the shoulder of Natalie Ferenc to level the game, 2-2.
Early in the third period, the Pios had a chance to take the lead after Lindenwood's Kaitlin Finnegan was sent off for holding just 92 seconds into the frame. However, the Pios failed to cash in on their third power-play of the night.
Moments later, the Lions went back on the power-play after Lupone was sent to the box for holding for their fifth opportunity of the night. Thirty-five seconds later, the Lions regained the lead as Thea Jorgensen's wrist shot from the point made its way past the bodies in front and past Greene to give the visitors a 3-2 lead.
The Pios went back on the job halfway through the period but once again could not figure out the Lindenwood penalty kill as SHU finished the night 0-for-5 on the power-play. With under a minute to go, Lindenwood's Neitzke scored an empty-netter to finish off the hat trick as the Lions rode off 4-2 victors.
Top Performers:
Of Note:
- Greene made her return to the Pioneer starting lineup after missing the last three games.
- McNeil's second-period tally was her first goal of the season and her first since scoring the game-winning goal against Harvard last season.
- O'Connell's tally against Lindenwood was her first goal since October 28, 2022, in what was a 5-3 loss to Saint Anselm.
Up Next:
The Pios return to the ice on Saturday, October 21, for the third-place game of the Ice Breaker Tournament against No. 10 Northeastern at 2 p.m. from Martire Family Arena. Live statistics and livestream information can be found at sacredheartpioneers.com.
