FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Paige McNeil's ninth of the season held strong but a two-goal surge in the third period proved too much as the Sacred Heart University women's ice hockey team fell in game one of the New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) Quarterfinals to Franklin Pierce, 3-1, on Friday night.
The Pioneers opened the game with a vengeance, looking to open the scoring within the first minute of the opening frame as
Sydney Antonakis was alone on the low slot. However, FPU's Jill Hertl came up with the glove save to keep the game level just 54 seconds in.
Though the Pioneers had the first chance on the night, FPU found themselves with an opportunity to stake claim to the opening goal two minutes later after SHU's
Paige McNeil was the culprit of a trip in the offensive zone, setting off a string of three-consecutive penalties in the middle part of the frame.
With both teams having gone 0-for-1 on the power play in the early going, FPU wound up with a truncated advantage with under nine minutes to go in the frame, taking the lead with nine seconds left on the advantage off an Anna Caumo tally. Late in the advantage, and with a plethora of fresh skaters, Caumo received a tape-to-tape pass at the SHU blueline and ripped a wrist shot from the point that beat SHU's
Jillian Petruno top corner to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The Pios, however, came storming back in the remaining six minutes of the opening period, sending a flurry of shots toward Hertl, eventually finding paydirt two minutes after FPU opened the scoring with McNeil's ninth tally of the year. With an extended shift in the FPU zone, McNeil gathered a deflected shot along the near boards and powered through to the low slot, sending a backhand top-shelf and past Hertl to level the game 1-1.
With the momentum, SHU continued to fly around the Ravens zone, racking up chances left and right as Hertl was forced into save after save. With under a minute left, Hertl preserved the tie for FPU, stonewalling
Sydney Antonakis and
Isabella Chaput with under a minute left to keep the game level as the Pios outshot the visitors 20-11 in the opening frame.
The Pios came out of the first intermission on the front foot, quickly amassing a 4-1 shot advantage in the first four minutes of the period but Hertl stood strong negating SHU's bid for the lead. Though the Red & White had the momentum, FPU found themselves on the power play twice in the middle stanza but could not convert as the Pioneer penalty kill stood tall.
Failing to capitalize on its two opportunities in the frame, FPU continued to hound the Pios in their own zone, eventually earning the best chance for either team in the frame as Emma Laroche's double bid – first from a point shot that hit iron, then a second from the low slot – was negated by the quick reflexes of Petruno who stymied the Ravens forward with under nine minutes left in the period. Both teams continued to pressure the opposing netminders but to no avail as Hertl and Petruno pitched second-period shutouts with the Pios outshooting the Ravens 12-9 in the period.
Having played a majority of the game on the front foot, the Pios came out tactical to begin the third period, feeling the game out as it stretched toward the end of regulation. The visitors, though, had the best opportunity halfway through the frame as SHU's
Olivia LaRoche was sent to the box for interference. However, the Pios continued to negate the visitors bids toward regaining the lead, killing off the LaRoche penalty as the two sides remained deadlocked, 1-1.
Having failed to capitalize power play, the Ravens broke through to regain the lead just moments later as a two-on-one developed off a delfected shot in the FPU zone with Claire Casey finishing off a feed from Caumo to put FPU up 2-1 with just over eight minutes to play in regulation.
Late in regulation the Pios earned every opportunity to try and tie the game but came up just short as FPU's Emilie Prive killed the comeback attempt for the Pios with an empty-net goal with 39 seconds left as the held on to take the first game of the best-of-three series, 3-1.
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Up Next:
The Pioneers return to the ice tomorrow, Saturday, February 24 for game two of the best-of-three series against the Ravens with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. More information can be found at sacredheartpioneers.com.
