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Records
- Keene State: 4-2
- Nichols: 3-2
How it Happened
Neither team scored in the opening period, as Nichols recorded 12 shots on goal, compared to just five from the Owls over the first 20 minutes of play. KSC looked to score first, but the Bison goaltender, McKenzie Muir made a pair of saves, on Brianna Finke and Emma McNeil in the opening 2:28 of play. Nichols responded with seven shots on goal over the next 10 minutes of play, while KSC only recorded one. The Nichols’ best scoring opportunity came with 12:14 remaining in the fist, when Grace Melanson took from just inside the blue line that Tanner saved. The rebound on the shot went right to the opposite side where Rhea Bullens was looking to put the puck into the back of the open net from her angle, but she was unable to connect, and the contest remained scoreless. Nichols had a power play opportunity with 4:01 remaining in the first, but they were unable to get a shot off over the two minutes, with the only shot coming from Finke, which Muir saved. Tanner kept the Bison from finding the back of the net over the final two minutes of the period as she made four saves to keep the game scoreless heading into the second.
While Muir made three saves on the Owls’ attack over the opening 6:34 of play in the second, coming from shots from each Madison Mosca, Camden Ladzinski, and Paige Henault, the Bison attack was relentless in the second period. In the first 12 minutes of the Bison logged 14 shots, with seven being on goal, that Tanner saved. Three of the 14 were blocked by KSC defenders, with Rory Owens, Olivia Pollard, and Grace Bazin each recording a blocked shot, while the remaining four shots missed the target. At the 14:31 minute mark in the second, KSC had their first power play opportunity of the day. Ava Iantosca won both of the faceoffs for KSC over their power play opportunity, as the Owls pestered Muir in the net with four shots, that she was able to save. The Owls’ two-minute advantage was cut short by 18 seconds as KSC was called for a bench minor after Finke was thrown down from behind by a Bison defender after the whistle, with no call being made, resulting in head coach Rob Morgan being irate at the officials and drawing a penalty against KSC. The Bison killed off the remainder of the 4-on-4 and after a pair of saves by Tanner, the rebound fell to Kasey Litwin, who scored the first goal of the game to put Nichols up 1-0 on the powerplay goal with 2:37 remaining in the second. Neither team had a scoring opportunity the rest of the second as NC held their one goal lead heading into the final 20 minutes of regulation.
The Owls drew even quick in the third period from Henault’s first goal as an Owl at the 2:51 mark of play. After Henault won a faceoff in the defensive zone, it led to an Owls’ possession on the other end of the rink, where Muir was able to save the first shot from Haylee Owen. 12 seconds later, Owen knocked the loose puck to Emily Underhill behind the net, who passed it to Henault out in front of the crease for a quick shot into the top right corner of the net past Muir to tie the game at one apiece. Both teams traded six shots on goal piece, but got nothing came out of it for either team over the next 7:23 of play, as both goaltenders denied the opposition. With 9:37 remaining in the contest, KSC had their second power play opportunity of the contest, but they were unable to have a shot hit the target as the only shot on goal came from a breakaway attempt by Melanson, but Tanner denied her to keep the game knotted at one apiece. Both goaltenders held strong the rest of the way, as they each made four saves apiece for the rest of regulation. The Owls were able to hold off the Bison attack as well for the remainder of the period, as they recorded seven blocked shots over the final 7:37 of the third.
In overtime, it was all KSC on the attack. Muir made a save on Owen just over a minute in, and then 30 second later, she made another save on Finke from her shot towards the net. The rebound from her shot fell right to Price, who sent it into the back of the goal to give the Owls their second consecutive 2-1 overtime victory.
Inside the Crease
- Nichols outshot the Owls, 35 to 29, in shots on goal, while the Owls defense blocked 15 shots (with Bazin leading the way with four), compared to eight from the Bison.
- Tanner made a career-high 34 saves in net and moved to 2-0, while Muir made 27 saves and allowed her first two goals of the season in the contest.
- NC held a narrow advantage over KSC on the faceoffs, as the Bison won 22 of 40 faceoffs. Iantosca led the Owls going 7-for-11 (64%).
- Underhill tallied her first career collegiate point from her assist, while Henault logged her first goal as an Owl, for the program’s first tying goal. Henault’s goal eventually led to Price’s first career point, which gave KSC their first come from behind victory in history.
- KSC only recorded a pair of penalties on the day, after not having less than four in any other previous contest.
Up Next
Keene State hosts Rivier University next for their third straight home game, and their third time facing the Raiders out of their four most recent games, coming at Keene ICE on Friday, Nov. 22, at 7:45 p.m.
Nichols will next play against Endicott College in a home-and-home conference matchup, with the Bison hosting the Gulls on Friday, Nov. 22, at 4:40 p.m.