FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Jillian Petruno's 32-save performance kept the comeback alive, but a late third-period flurry could not provide the finishing touch as the Sacred Heart University women's ice hockey team fell in its penultimate home game to the Assumption Greyhounds, 1-0, on Friday night.
The Pioneers came out in the first period with something to prove after Tuesday night's tilt against LIU, quickly putting Assumption under pressure in the Greyhound zone in the first minute of the contest. Off a turnover in the SHU zone, Pioneer forward
Paige McNeil had a breakaway down the middle of the ice, but her backhand shot was read by ASM's Carissa Mudrak who steered it aside to keep the game level just over 50 seconds in.
With the momentum, the Pioneers gave the visitors their first break of the night, putting the Greyhounds on the power play with
Sophie Lupone having been sent to the box for a body check. However, the Pios limited the chances for the visitors on the advantage, holding ASM to one shot on goal to extinguish the first power play of the game.
Holding a 7-4 shot advantage through the first 10 minutes, Assumption opened the scoring just after the media timeout with an Emma Gurnell tally 12 minutes into the frame. After SHU's
Jillian Petruno made the initial save off a point shot, Gurnell claimed the rebound in the slot and wired a backhand past the netminder to put the visitors in the lead, 1-0.
Late in the opening frame, the Pios earned their first power play of the night after ASM's Kaitlyn Cielo was the culprit of an interference call with under two to go in the period. Though SHU had its chances, forward
Cassie Nevers two bids in the slot went wide as the period ended with the Greyhounds clinging to the 1-0 lead.
With 24 seconds of power play time to begin the second period, the Pios found their opportunity on a set play in the offensive zone, but Mudrak had other ideas, stonewalling SHU's
Isabella Chaput in the low slot as the Pios were unable to cash in on the power play.
With the momentum, the Pios continued to attack the Greyhounds as the Pios thought they tied the game as
Erin Fleming's wrist shot along the wing made it past Mudrak, but was denied by the goal post as ASM continued to hold its 1-0 lead.
Halfway through the second stanza, the Pios went back on the power play with Molly Walsh being sent to the box for body checking as the Pios looked to even the game. Late in the advantage the Pios had three opportunities but could not find the back of the net as McNeil and Nevers had their bids denied by Mudrak as SHU remained off the board.
Late in the frame, the Greyhounds went back on the power play after SHU's Maddie RInklin was convicted of an elbow, but once again, the Pio penalty kill did its job to keep ASM off the board. The Pios continued to press in the final few minutes of the frame but could not capitalize on their chances with the Greyhounds holding the 1-0 lead into the second intermission.
SHU continued to press for its elusive first goal of the game in the third, earning a prime chance to bag it early in the frame with a power play opportunity. However, Mudrak continued to stand on her head in the early going of the period to negate SHU's bid to get on the scoresheet on the power play.
With the period approaching its halfway point, Assumption found a burst of energy after having been hemmed in its own zone and pressed to double the lead. However, Petruno held strong and negated five Greyhound shots through 16 minutes of action in the third to keep SHU alive.
The Pios fought to tie the game with under four to go in the frame, pulling Petruno to the bench for the extra attacker. However, Assumption did well to negate the Pios from entering the offensive zone cleanly and sent multiple bids toward the empty net but could not finish. The Red & White conintued to press but were denied for the final few minutes as the Greyhounds took the game, 1-0.
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Up Next:
The Pioneers finish up the season series against the Greyhounds on Saturday, Feb. 10, heading up north to Worcester, Mass. to conclude the penultimate weekend of regular season action. Puck drop from Worcester Ice Arena is slated for 6 p.m. More information can be found at sacredheartpioneers.com.
