PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Freshman
Claire Deis (Calgary, Alberta) scored her first career goal and added an assist as Plymouth State University held off Salve Regina University, 3-2, in a non-conference women's ice hockey game during the annual
Teddy Bear Toss at Hanaway Rink on Friday evening.
Junior
Grace Bonnell (Madison, Wis.) knocked in a rebound to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead with 1:27 left in the opening period, triggering thousands of stuffed animals to rain onto the ice. The bears will be donated to Dartmouth Health Children's to provide comfort and support to more than 2,000 pediatric patients during the holiday season.
Plymouth State doubled its lead midway through the second when freshman
Mylee Serkis (Pittsburgh, Pa.) netted her first collegiate goal. Salve Regina cut the margin to one with a late power-play tally, making it a 2-1 game heading into the third.
The Seahawks tied the game 5:43 into the final frame, but Deis restored the lead just 26 seconds later with a game-winning wrister from the left circle.
Prior to the contest, special guest Lillian McIntire, a former Dartmouth Health Children's patient, performed a ceremonial puck drop. McIntire spent two-and-a-half months in Dartmouth's Intensive Care Nursery after being born prematurely but has since grown into an unstoppable force on the ice as both a goalie and center. The annual event, cosponsored by Plymouth State Athletics and Marketing Association of Plymouth State (MAPS), is in its ninth year.
Plymouth State improves to 3-6-0, while Salve Regina slips to 6-4-0.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, Salve Regina 2
- Plymouth State (3-6-0)
- Salve Regina (6-4-0)
How it Happened:
- Junior Erika Johnson (Salt Lake City, Utah) made a sliding defensive play to break up a Seahawks scoring chance in the slot six minutes in.
- Freshman Lisi Palmer (Brunswick, Maine) streaked down the left side on a short-handed breakout, but the Salve Regina goaltender made the initial stop and covered the rebound to keep the game scoreless.
- PSU broke through late in the frame when Bonnell stuffed home a rebound with 1:27 remaining.
- Junior Karlee Lehner (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan) made a big stop in the final minute to preserve the 1-0 lead into intermission.
- Freshman Sofia Cuozzo (Guilford, Conn.) nearly doubled the margin in the opening 30 seconds of second, but her blast from the right side rang off the pipe.
- Junior Laura Castronova (Hauppauge, N.Y.) generated prime chance when a stretch pass led to a 1-on-0 break, but a tremendous glove save turned her away.
- Lehner came up big at 6:47 of the second during 4-on-4 action, and Serkis doubled the margin less than two minutes later by redirecting a shot from the left side.
- The Seahawks used a power-play goal with 1:32 left in the second to make it 2-1 entering the third.
- Salve Regina pulled even roughly six minutes into the final period, but Deis answered 26 seconds later with a wrister from the left circle to make it 3-2.
- The Seahawks pulled the goalie in the final minute, but PSU's defense stood strong to secure the win.
By the Numbers:
- Bonnell, Serkis and Deis each scored their first goals of the season.
- Deis added an assist for her first multi-point game.
- Castronova, Johnson, Palmer, junior Emily Gerrie (Littleton, Colo.), and freshman Amelia Spencer (Lynn, Mass.) also registered assists.
- Spencer's helper marked the first point of her collegiate career.
- Lehner stopped 17 shots to earn the win.
- Senior Katie Porrello (Milford, Conn.) won 13-of-17 faceoffs.
- PSU held a 26-19 edge in shots on goal.
- The Panthers went 0-for-7 on the power play, while Salve Regina was 1-for-5.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State wraps up the fall semester at Curry College on Saturday (Dec. 6). Puck drop is set for 3 p.m.
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