SHELTON, Conn. — Cassie Nevers' second-period tally and
Jillian Petruno's 18-save performance were the difference as the Sacred Heart University women's ice hockey team picked up a valuable two points in the New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) standings, dispatching the Post Eagles, 2-0, Friday night.
With the win, and a Franklin Pierce tie earlier Friday evening, the Pioneers need just one point on Saturday to clinch home ice in the first round of the 2024 NEWHA Tournament. SHU can finish no lower than fifth-place in the standings and will play Franklin Pierce in the opening round regardless of any of Saturday's results.
With valuable points on the line, the Pioneers felt a sense of urgency in the first period, spending a majority of the first 10 minutes of game inside the Post zone. Having accrued a 9-2 shot advantage through the media timeout, the Pioneers sought to break open the scoring, but Post's Grace Glasrud was equal to every chance in the early going to keep the game scoreless through the halfway mark of the opening frame.
Late in the opening frame, the Pios thought they had taken the lead after
Olivia LaRoche's point shot was tipped out in front, however, the referees deemed it to have been played with a high stick, keeping the game level 0-0. Following the negated goal, SHU continued to pepper Grasrud with the netminder keeping her team in the running. The Pioneers amassed an 18-5 shot advantage, with Glasrud providing a timely save on SHU's
Paige McNeil with just over a minute to play to keep the game scoreless heading into the first intermission.
Following suit from the first period, SHU continued to dominate the pace of play in the early going of the frame, funneling chance after chance at the Post netminder to try and crack open the scoring. Just over seven minutes into the frame, the Pios found the breakthrough as
Cassie Nevers potted her tenth goal of the season to give the visitors the lead.
With SHU hemming the Eagles in their defensive zone,
Sophie Lupone gathered a loose puck behind the net off a Post defender and found Nevers alone in the low slot who sent a wrist shot past the glove hand of Glasrud and into the corner of the goal to put the Pios up, 1-0.
Both teams fell victim to the penalty-bug in the latter half of the frame, spending half of the remaining seven minutes of the stanza trading penalties. However, both sides had adequate opportunities on the power play but could not cash in as Nevers' tally was the lone goal of the frame to put SHU up 1-0 after 40 minutes.
Looking to finish the game on the right foot, SHU continued to batter the Post net, quickly gaining a 6-1 shot advantage in the first five minutes of the stanza before earning the second goal of the game with
Sophie Lupone's fifth tally of the campaign.
On the rush, the Pios quickly swarmed the Post net as
Isabella Chaput's power move in front led to a quick wrist shot. Though Glasrud made the initial save,
Sophie Lupone came streaking down the slot to wire home the rebound to give SHU the 2-0 lead.
SHU continued to hold the Eagles at bay for the remaining part of the period as Petruno racked up her fifth shutout of the season - and second-straight against the Eagles - stopping 18 shots as the Pios took the 2-0 win.
Top Performers:
Up Next:
The Pioneers close out the regular season from the friendly confines of Martire Famiy Area, squaring off against the Eagles on Senior Day Saturday, February 17 with puck drop slated for 2 p.m. More information can be found at sacredheartpioneers.com.
