Bridge registers 50 saves in collegiate debut 

            RINDGE, N.H. – Freshman goaltender Becca Bridge (Gadsby, Alberta) made 50 saves in her collegiate debut, but NCAA Division I Franklin Pierce University rallied past Plymouth State University, 5-4, in overtime in a non-conference women's ice hockey game at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena in the Panthers' season opener on Tuesday night.

            PSU scored three times in the middle stanza to erase a 1-0 deficit, and the Panthers pushed the advantage to 4-1 early in the third period. The Ravens started the comeback with 3:31 left in regulation scoring with an extra skater thanks to a delayed penalty. The hosts cut the deficit to 4-3 with a power play strike with 1:38 to go, then went empty net to tie the game with just 52 seconds left to play. FPU completed the improbable win midway through the overtime period.

            Plymouth State drops to 0-1-0, while the Ravens improve to 4-2-0 on the season.

            The Basics:

            Plymouth State 4, Franklin Pierce 5 (OT)

            Plymouth State (0-1-0)

            Franklin Pierce (4-2-0)

            How it Happened.

• Franklin Pierce got on the board with a power play goal in the final minute of the opening period.
• PSU evened the score just 31 seconds into the second period. Senior Caitlin Connor (Bow, N.H.) led a 2-on-1 on the right side before centering the puck to classmate Julie Nagel (Canton, Mass.), whose shot deflected off the goaltender and in.
• Senior Alexis Fagan (Burrillville, R.I.) put the Panthers ahead at the 3:13 mark of the period with a shot to the top right corner.
• Plymouth State's senior class connected again at the 11:37 mark for a power play goal to make it a 3-1 game. Sydney Linnick (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) sent a point-to-point pass to Alie Louie (Mount Laurel, N.J.), whose shot from the left point found the top left corner.
• Junior Marykate Thompson (Glastonbury, Conn.) pushed the lead to 4-1 when she blasted a puck from right on top of the crease into the back of the net 3:19 into the final stanza.
• PSU would carry the lead into the final minutes, before Franklin Pierce exploded for three goals in a span of 2:39.
• The hosts were able to walk off with the win 2:34 into the overtime period when freshman Ava Kison (Eau Claire, Wis.) slipped home a shot from the bottom of the circle.

            Inside the Numbers:

• Bridge's 50 saves were the most in a game for the Panthers since alumna Emilie Lindquist had a career-high 52 in a 2-1 win over Amherst last Jan. 30.
• Fagan extended her program-record with her 23rd career goal and is now just 10 points shy of the school record of 45.
• Nagel added an assist to her tally, while Linnick posted three assists on the night for her first career three-point game.
• Franklin Pierce leads the all-time series 9-1, though the contest was the closest between the two schools since the Panthers earned a 3-1 win in Dec. 2012.

            Up Next:

• Plymouth State opens New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) action at home on Friday (Nov. 8) night at 6:00 p.m. against Suffolk.

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