FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Savannah Popick's game-winning overtime goal ushered in a season-opening win for the Sacred Heart University women's ice hockey team as the Pioneers dispatched the RPI Engineers, 2-1, at Martire Family Arena on Friday afternoon.
Taking note of the early 2 p.m. start, both teams came out of the gate looking to strike first with the Pioneers creating most of the chances early on en route to a 5-1 shot advantage through the opening 10 minutes of the first period. The Engineers, having been on the back foot for a majority of the period, found some of their best chances in the first period in the dying stages as Nina Christof had a bid in front of the SHU crease that was steered aside by the left pad of starting goaltender
Jillian Petruno to keep the score deadlocked, 0-0.
Late in the frame, SHU looked poised to break open the scoring as sophomore
Bria Holm sprang herself on a breakaway after an errant turnover on the blueline by the Engineers. Off to the races, Holm found herself all alone with RPI goaltender Reese Keating but could not funnel it through the netminder as Keating got the pads down to negate the five-hole with just over a minute to go in the first.
Following the chance, the Pios grabbed the first power play for either side as Taylor Larsen was sent to the box for a tripping call with 50 seconds remaining in the frame. SHU ultimately grabbed two chances before the expiration of the period as
Olivia LaRoche's blueline missile clanked off the near post to keep the score locked 0-0 after 20 minutes of action.
SHU started the second period with 1:10 left on the advantage but could not muster anymore chances toward the RPI net, finishing the power play with two shots on goal that came back in the first period. Looking to get on the front foot, it was one-way traffic for RPI as they sought to grab the game-opening goal after having been outshot in the first period 8-5.
The Engineers quickly sprung themselves on the attack in the early stages of the second period, jumping out to a 5-0 shot advantage before the Pios could catch their footing. However, it was the heroics of Petruno that kept the Engineers off the board as the Pios found their first chances of the period on the counter.
Having dealt with the initial pressure from the visitors,
Sami Bowlby and
Kate Helgeson had back-to-back chances halfway through the frame but could not funnel their shots – including Bowlby's slot bid that was parried off the glove hand - past Keating as the netminder stood strong.
Later in the second period, the Pios were hemmed in the defensive zone with Petruno coming to the rescue to keep the scoreline even, stopping a doorstep bid from RPI's Ellie Kasier with just five minutes left in the middle frame.
Following suit from the first period, the home side grabbed their second opportunity on the power play late in the second with Aylah Cioffi having been sent off for hooking as SHU's
Ally Cohen was looking to send home a chance in front of the net but was impaired by the RPI forward. With 52 seconds on the power play to end the second, RPI clamped down defensively to negate any chance of a final-minute goal to keep the score 0-0 heading into the third.
With just over a minute of elapsed power-play time to open the third period, the Pioneers were unable to get any chances on goal with the Engineers boasting a perfect 2-2 penalty kill through the first two opportunities. However, SHU once again dialed after the power play with
Alyssa Antonakis and
Bria Holm looking to open the scoring but neither Pio could send their wrist shots past Keating, who stood tall just three minutes into the third.
SHU continued pestering the opposition but nearly gave up the game-opening goal as a turnover in the defensive end led to a Charlotte Wensley chance all alone in front. However, Petruno was able to track the forward in the crease and smothered the puck in the butterfly to keep the shutout going.
With five minutes gone in the third period, the Pioneers grabbed their third opportunity on the power play with a chance to open the scoring, which the Pios did 90 seconds into the advantage. With an initial blueline shot having been blocked, the Pios worked the puck near the top of the zone before finding a tic-tac-toe play in front that gave
Sami Bowlby her first collegiate goal and first as a Pioneer to put the home side in front, 1-0, with 13 minutes left in regulation.
Paige McNeil and Helgeson teamed up to find Bowlby alone in front as the junior forward sent a wrister past Keating for the opening goal.
With under eight minutes to go, the Pios were the culprits of their own misgiving as two penalties in quick succession provided fuel for the Engineers to get back in the game. Though SHU killed off an initial
Brianna Morden hooking call, as the Pios defense – including Popick who blocked two prime opportunities – clamped down defensively, RPI found the back of the net with a blueline goal from Larsen who funneled a one-timer past the calamity in front of the net and past Petruno with only three minutes remaining in regulation to even the scoreline, 1-1.
Looking to grab the momentum and an eventual game-winner, the Pios pushed to the final whistle, grabbing a few chances but could not send one past Keating for what would have been a game-winner as the cluck ran out to push the season-opening tilt to a five-minute sudden-death period.
With both sides looking for what could be the last opportunity, it was the Pios who had the better – and last – opportunities of the game, outshooting the Engineers 2-1 before finding the eventual game-winner with just over two minutes left. Following a neutral zone faceoff, the trio of
Isabella Chaput, A. Antonakis and Popick worked through the neutral zone with Popick and Antonakis utilizing a give-and-go that sprung the former along the near-wing. Popick, in a foot race with an RPI defender, shielded off the Engineer on her way to the net and wired a backhand that beat the stick side of Keating and into the back of the net for the game-winning overtime goal as the Pios skated off the bench and into the corner to celebrate a 2-1 overtime win.
Top Performers:
Of Note:
- Popick's game-winning overtime goal is her sixth career goal and first as a Pioneer. The goal is also her second-career overtime goal.
- Several Pioneers picked up their first points of the season as Chaput, McNeil, Helgeson, Popick, S. Bowlby and Alyssa Antonakis picked up a point in the win.
- Sami Bowlby's third-period tally is her first collegiate goal and first as a Pioneer after transferring from Quinnipiac this season.
- Petruno's 33 saves are the most for the Pioneer goaltender since stopping 34 in a 5-2 win over Saint Michael's in February.
- After finishing tied for the team lead in assists last season, Helgeson picked up her first helper of the year on Bowlby's game-opening tally.
- Three Pioneers made their first collegiate appearances in the game with Ally Cohen, Ella Holm and Brianna Morden all making the lineup on Friday.
Up Next:
The Pioneers look to close out the weekend and a possible series sweep on Saturday, October 5 against RPI from Houston Field House in Troy, N.Y. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. More information can be found at sacredheartpioneers.com.
