MANCHESTER, N.H. – Sophomore
Sydney Merritt (San Jose, Calif.) scored her first goal of the season in the first period, but the Saint Anselm College women's ice hockey team fell in overtime to Long Island University for the second consecutive game on Saturday.
UP NEXT:
- Saint Anselm is home once again on Friday, February 2nd when Franklin Pierce University comes to the Sullivan Arena for a 6:00 p.m. matchup with the Hawks.
Score: Saint Anselm 1, Long Island 2
Records: Saint Anselm 15-11-1 (15-6-1 NEWHA), Long Island 19-8-0 (19-2-0 NEWHA)
Location: Manchester, N.H. (Thomas F. Sullivan Arena)
Date: Saturday, January 27, 2024
Attendance: 124
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Saint Anselm spent no time dwelling on Friday night's overtime loss once the puck was dropped on Saturday. 3:45 into the first period, Merritt skated with the puck across the red line and attempted to dump it in deep behind the Long Island goal. However, the puck took a strange bounce off the end boards and found its way behind Sharks goaltender Tindra Holm and into the net to make it 1-0, Hawks.
- Halfway through the first period, the Hawks got their first power play opportunity of the game, but Holm prevented any further damage by turning aside two Saint Anselm shots during the penalty kill.
- Long Island was awarded their first power play with 3:21 left in the first, but Saint Anselm's penalty kill unit kept the Sharks off the board. Freshman goaltender Courtney Stagman (Andover, Minn.) was an integral part of a shutout first period, making nine saves between the pipes for the Hawks during the opening 20 minutes.
- A boarding penalty committed by Saint Anselm 1:55 into the second gave Long Island their second player-up advantage of the afternoon, and the visitors would capitalize on that opportunity to tie the score. Jeannie Wallner received a pass from Emma Mörtl at the top of the left wing circle. Her one-time slap shot was fired past Stagman and into the back of the net to make it 1-1.
- Both teams would exchange shots on goal and each would go on the power play one more time in the remaining minutes of the second, but the score stayed knotted up heading into the third.
- The Hawks were given two more power plays in the third period, but the home team could not find the go-ahead goal. During the second power play of the period, Saint Anselm fired five shots on goal in a 30-second span, all of which were denied by Holm, and the game was forced into overtime for the second straight game.
- During the extra frame, Saint Anselm headed to the penalty box once again, this time for a roughing penalty that gave Long Island a 4-on-3 for two minutes. The Sharks only needed about 30 seconds with the extra skater, as Mörtl's wrist shot from the slot lit the lamp for the game-winning tally.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Long Island outshot Saint Anselm 32-25 in the game, but the Hawks held the edge in total shot attempts, 47-44. The Sharks were able to block seven shots compared to six blocks by the Hawks.
- Saint Anselm also held the advantage in faceoffs, winning 29 out of 49 draws during the game.
- Both Sharks goals were on the power play. Long Island converted twice out of five total opportunities while Saint Anselm was held scoreless during five power play chances of their own.
- Stagman made 30 saves and registered a .938 save percentage in goal for the Hawks, while Holm made 24 saves between the pipes for the Sharks.
- This marked the 19th game between these two programs all-time. Saint Anselm falls to 6-11-2 overall against Long Island.
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