SALEM, Mass. – Plymouth State University scored a single goal in each period and sophomore
Karlee Lehner (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan) notched her second shutout in three starts as the Panthers skated past Salem State University, 3-0, in a non-conference women's ice hockey game at Rockett Arena on Tuesday night.
PSU dominated the pace of play in the first period, but it wasn't until late in the frame that the Panthers broke through. Senior
Libby Carter (Franklin, Mass.) fired a wrister into the net and that would prove to be more than enough for Lehner.
Sophomore
Laura Castronova (Hauppauge, N.Y.) doubled the margin late in the second period and senior
Emily DeSimone (Norwood, Mass.) added an insurance marker in the third and Lehner kept the Vikings off the board to seal the victory.
Plymouth State improves to 4-2, while the Vikings slip to 1-5.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, Salem State 0
- Plymouth State (4-2)
- Salem State (1-5)
How it Happened:
- After dominating most of the first period, Plymouth State finally broke through with 2:47 left in the frame when Carter settled a bouncing puck in the high slot and whipped a wrister over the shoulder of the Salem State goaltender for the 1-0 lead.
- The Panthers doubled the margin with a power play goal in the final minute of the middle stanza. Sophomore Jamie Steinmetz (Madison, Wis.) skated up the right side and into the zone with a head of steam, then threw the puck through the slot to Castronova who dangled around a defender and snapped a shot over the goalie's blocker to make it 2-0 with just 25 seconds left in the period.
- A stretch pass left DeSimone alone with the goalie midway through the third period, but the Vikings' netminder was up to the challenge. DeSimone pressed, forcing a Salem State turnover behind the goal. She collected the puck and attempted a wrap-around that was initially denied, though she potted the rebound to make it a three-goal game.
- Lehner made five saves from there to preserve the shutout.
By the Numbers:
- Lehner finished with 16 saves to post her second shutout in three starts.
- Six different players recorded points for the Panthers.
- Steinmetz, junior Caeli Reed (Norwood, Mass.) and sophomore Lilli Warnock (Bernardsville, N.J.) all registered assists.
- DeSimone dominated at the faceoff dot, winning 11-of-15 draws.
- Plymouth State outshot the Vikings by a 41-16 margin.
- The Panthers went 1-for-5 on the power play, while Salem State finished 0-for-1.
- Plymouth State leads the all-time series 7-5-3.
Up Next:
- The Panthers head to Anna Maria on Friday (Nov. 22) for a 5:40 p.m. clash with the AMCATS in a game played at Buffone Arena in Worcester, Mass.
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