SALEM, Mass. – Junior
Meghan Hamilton (Walpole, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal to help Plymouth State University shove aside Salem State University for a significant 2-1 victory in a New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) women's ice hockey battle at Rockett Arena on Friday night.
Salem State came out of the gates with a huge offensive force, firing 16 shots in the first period and another 17 in the second, but sophomore
Amelia Julian (Apple Valley, Minn.) was strong between the pipes for the Panthers, allowing just a single tally late in the opening period.
PSU remained on the short side of the 1-0 game until freshman
Emily Biggin (Didsbury, Alberta) poked the puck loose and through the legs of the Vikings' goalie with just 4:32 left in regulation. In the extra frame, Hamilton closed out the dramatic comeback by outmaneuvering a defender and placing the puck in the top left corner to secure the win.
Plymouth State picks up a big conference win to improve to 6-10-1 overall and 4-7-0 in NEHC play, while Salem State dips to 3-15-0 and 1-12-0 in the NEHC.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 2, Salem State 1 (OT)
- Plymouth State (6-10-1, 4-7-0 NEHC)
- Salem State (3-15-0, 1-12-0 NEHC)
How it Happened:
- PSU kept an early Salem State onslaught in check for most of the first period before the Vikings flung a long range shot into the net during a power play chance for a 1-0 lead with 3:02 left in the period.
- The Panthers matched the hosts offense in a back-and-forth second period, firing 15 shots on goal as junior Addie Swanson (Eagle River, Alaska) and sophomore Carsen Moffett (Kamloops, British Columbia) leading the way with three apiece.
- Julian was a wall over the final two periods, saving 22 shots to keep the Panthers' comeback hopes alive.
- Biggin potted the game-tying goal by poking the puck free when the Salem State goaltender was unable to hold on for a whistle, evening the score at 1-1 with 4:32 left to play.
- Julian came up huge in the extra frame, stoning a Vikings' breakaway, then diving across the goal line to smother the rebound.
- Hamilton intercepted the puck in the neutral zone and skated down the right side and past a defender before firing a wrist shot just inside the top left corner to get the win.
By the Numbers:
- Julian posted a career high 42 saves.
- The Vikings outshot PSU by a small margin of 43-37.
- Biggin's tally was her first career score.
- The Panthers have won each of the last four meetings and are unbeaten against Salem State dating back to the 2018-19 season.
Up Next:
- PSU is back on the road on Sunday (Jan. 30) for an NEHC battle at the University of Southern Maine at 2:00 p.m.
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