FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Senior Natalie Tulchinksy's (Clifton Park, N.Y.) game-winner in overtime lifted the Saint Anselm College women's ice hockey team past Sacred Heart University, 1-0, on Saturday afternoon. The Hawks secured their 13th New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) win of the season after going 1-1 against the Pioneers over the weekend.
UP NEXT:
- Saint Anselm will continue their New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) action by facing the Eagles of Post University on Friday, January 19. The first installment of the two-game conference series is set to begin at 2:30 p.m.
Score: Saint Anselm 1, Sacred Heart 0
Records: Saint Anselm 13-9-1 (13-4-1 NEWHA), Sacred Heart 10-16-0 (9-9-0 NEWHA)
Location: Fairfield, Conn. (Martire Family Arena)
Date: Saturday, January 13, 2024
Attendance: 224
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Saint Anselm earned the first power-play opportunity of the game after Paige McNeil was whistled for high sticking just three minutes into the opening period. Senior Brinna Martin (St. Michael, Minn.) wristed a shot on frame that Sacred Heart goalie Jillian Petruno was able to stop. The Hawks would fire another three shot attempts, two of which came from senior Savannah Popick (South Windsor, Conn.), but the Pioneers would successfully kill the first Hawks power play.
- Shortly after, Scared Heart would earn the man advantage at the 7:56 mark posting their first three shots on goal, all of which were saved by freshman goalie Courtney Stagman (Andover, Minn.). Sophomore Brooklyn Scheniederhan (Helena, Mont.) and sophomore Ella Ridge (Chicago, Ill.) each produced a shot in the final seconds of the Pioneers power play, but Petruno saved both shots to keep the score level at 0-0.
- The Hawks killed the second Scared Heart power-play of the first period limiting the Pioneers to just three shots featuring a block apiece from Scheniederhan and senior Claire Weber (Marshfield, Mass.). Saint Anselm would end the period posting 10 shot attempts in comparison to Sacred Heart's four, but the game would remain tied at 0-0 heading into the first intermission.
- Sophomore Sydney Merritt (San Jose, Calif.) tested Petruno early in the second period after firing a shot on target to kickstart the Hawks attack. Both teams continued to exchange shots approaching the midway point of the period with Saint Anselm's defense standing strong after producing seven blocks along with four saves from Stagman.
- The Hawks offense outshot the Pioneers 10-2 during a six-minute stretch, respectively, in the final minutes of the period, however, three saves from Petruno and four Sacred Heart blocks kept Saint Anselm off the scoreboard. With four seconds left in the period, Iyla Ryskamp almost wrapped the puck around Stagman who made a leg-stretching save to keep the score deadlocked at 0-0.
- In the third period, Saint Anselm took control in the opening five minutes of play dominating in their attacking zone by firing nine shot attempts, six of which came during their second power play chance of the day. Petruno continued to highlight for Sacred Heart registering nine consecutive saves between the pipes nearing the halfway point of the period. Neither team was able to find the back of the net by the end of regulation to send the game into overtime.
- Scheinerdhan and senior Maddy McCaffery (Weymouth, Mass.) each forced two impressive saves from Petruno in the first minute of overtime, respectively. At the 1:20 mark of overtime, Tulchinksy skated down the right side and wristed a shot into the bottom corner to break the scoring drought and seal Saint Anselm's 1-0 victory over Sacred Heart in overtime.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Saint Anselm outshot Sacred Heart 49-21 in the game and held a 21-13 advantage in total blocked shots.
- On the faceoff dot, the Hawks won 43 of 75 faceoffs while the Pioneers went 32-for-75 in the afternoon.
- Both teams went 0-for-2 on the man advantage and each registered a total of three shots apiece.
- Tulchinsky's lone goal of the day marked her 12th score and second game-winner of the season. Scheinderhan picked up the assist for the Hawks after ending the game with a team-high eight shot attempts and one block.
- Stagman earned her second career shutout for Saint Anselm after recording 21 saves, including nine in the third period, between the pipes. She improves her record to 8-7-1 on the season.
- This marked the 40th meeting between these two programs with Saint Anselm now holding a 27-10-3 record in the all-time series.
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