PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Senior
Katie Porrello (Milford, Conn.) scored in her first game of the season, but Keene State College slipped past Plymouth State University, 2-1, in the Little East Conference (LEC) women's ice hockey opener for both teams at Hanaway Rink on Friday evening.
Plymouth State dominated the first period, but the game remained scoreless through the intermission. The Owls converted a power play midway through the second to open the scoring, but Porrello stuffed in a loose puck three minutes later to tie it. Keene State regained the lead with 2:27 left in the frame on a breakaway and carried a 2-1 lead into the third.
The Panthers generated multiple chances to pull even in the final stanza, but the Keene State goaltender came up with several clutch saves. A KSC penalty with just over two minutes remaining gave PSU one last opportunity. The Panthers went empty net for the final 20 seconds, but Keene State held on for the win.
Plymouth State falls to 2-1-0 (0-1-0 LEC), while the Owls improve to 3-0-0 (1-0-0 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 1, Keene State 2
- Plymouth State (2-1-0, 0-1-0 LEC)
- Keene State (3-0-0, 1-0-0 LEC)
How it Happened:
- Plymouth State established heavy zone time in the first period. Freshman Sofia Cuozzo (Guilford, Conn.) had the game's first quality chance at 7:25 after forcing an offensive-zone turnover. Her initial shot from the slot was blocked, and the Keene State goalie snared her rebound attempt.
- Junior Karlee Lehner (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan) made a series of stops five minutes later, denying a 2-on-1 rush and two follow-up shots to keep the game scoreless.
- Cuozzo and junior Laura Castronova (Hauppauge, N.Y.) had prime chances on a late power play, but PSU was unable to convert as the teams went into the first intermission scoreless.
- Lehner turned aside another breakout attempt midway through the second before Keene State cashed in on a power play at 9:13, when a shot from the right circle beat her through a screen.
- The Panthers responded just over three minutes later as Porrello stuffed home a loose puck to tie the game.
- Keene State reclaimed the lead with 2:27 left in the period, lifting a pass over the PSU defense to set up a clean breakaway.
- Lehner made a huge save eight minutes into the third to keep it a one-goal game.
- Junior Emily Gerrie (Littleton, Colo.) nearly equalized on a short-handed bid, deking past a defender for a 1-on-1 with the Keene State goalie, but her backhander sailed high.
- A Keene State penalty with 2:02 left gave the Panthers one last push. PSU maintained possession in the zone and pulled Lehner for the extra skater with 26 seconds remaining, but the Owls held on for the win.
By the Numbers:
- Porrello's goal was her first of the season and 14th of her career.
- Freshmen Lisi Palmer (Brunswick, Maine) and Cera Luciani (Ruskin, Fla.) each recorded an assist for their first career points.
- Plymouth State finished 0-for-4 on the power play, while Keene State finished 1-for-6.
- PSU held a 36-14 advantage in shots on goal and won 34-of-53 faceoffs.
- The teams have now split four all-time meetings.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State visits UMass Boston for another league matchup next Friday (Nov. 14) at 6 p.m.
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