WORCESTER, Mass. – Graduate student
Lauren McNeil (Ottawa, Ontario) scored and sophomore
Karlee Lehner (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan) made 24 saves as Plymouth State University skated to a 1-1 tie with Worcester State University in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) women's ice hockey game at Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center on Friday evening. Worcester State won the shootout, 2-1.
The two teams will share the regular season crown, tied atop the MASCAC standings with 34 points, but PSU claims the top seed for the MASCAC Tournament by virtue of owning a 2-0-1 advantage in the head-to-head matchup this season.
The teams traded power play goals in the second period, with McNeil giving the Panthers a short-lived lead with her sixth goal of the season. Worcester State pulled even exactly three minutes later, and that was all the stingy goaltenders would allow.
Plymouth State dominated the stat sheet, outshooting the Lancers by a 43-25 margin and winning 38-of-64 faceoffs. Knowing only a regulation win would give Worcester State home ice for the playoffs, the Lancers went empty net for the final 1:27, but Lehner and the Panthers' held steady.
Lehner came up with a pair of huge saves in the overtime period, including one during a clean breakaway with 1:32 left in the extra session, sending the game to a shootout.
The hosts converted on their second attempt, but sophomore
Emily Gerrie (Littleton, Colo.) answered right back. Worcester State secured the win during the fifth round.
Plymouth State ends the regular season with a program-best record of 16-7-2 (11-2-2 MASCAC). The Lancers go to 13-9-2 (10-3-2 MASCAC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 1, Worcester State 1 (Worcester State wins shootout, 2-1)
- Plymouth State (16-7-2, 11-2-2 MASCAC)
- Worcester State (13-9-2, 10-3-2 MASCAC)
How it Happened:
- The Panthers came out firing, with a decisive 14-4 advantage in shots through the first period, but strong goaltending by Worcester State kept the game scoreless into the second period.
- McNeil finally broke through with a snipe from the left side during a PSU power play chance 7:09 into the second.
- The Lancers answered right back with a power play goal of their own exactly three minutes later.
- Things would remain tied into the third period.
- Knowing it needed a regulation win to earn the home ice advantage throughout the playoffs, Worcester State ramped up the offensive pressure over the final 20 minutes of regulation. After being outshot by a lopsided 29-4 margin through the first two frames, the Lancers fired 13 shots in the third, but Lehner was up to the challenge.
- Worcester State went empty net for the final 1:27 and the Lancers kept steady pressure on the PSU defense through the final horn, but again the Panthers' defense and Lehner were able to preserve the tie.
- Chances were limited in the overtime session. Plymouth State had near misses by junior Katie Porrello (Milford, Conn.) and Gerrie, but both came up empty. The Panthers went on the power play midway through the extra frame, but Worcester State's goalie was outstanding.
- The Lancers had a golden opportunity to put the game away during the power play when the puck took a bad hop at the blue line, leading the hosts to a clean breakaway, but Lehner held her ground.
- Worcester State scored on its second attempt of the shootout, but Gerrie responded and the shootout went into sudden death. The hosts were able to convert on their fifth chance to secure the shootout win.
By the Numbers:
- Porrello and sophomore Jamie Steinmetz (Madison, Wis.) picked up the assists on McNeil's tally.
- With the helper, Porrello moves to within one point of the program record for points in a season. She has seven goals and 14 assists on the year.
- Steinmetz's assist was her 11th of the year.
- Both teams finished 1-for-6 on the power play.
- Lehner has been especially stingy against the Lancers this year, allowing just one goal in two games (125 minutes).
- The two teams have played incredibly tight games this winter. Plymouth State won the previous two meetings, outlasting the Lancers in overtime (4-3) in Worcester on Nov. 12, and snagging a 1-0 win at home earlier this month, prior to tonight's action. The only other meeting between the two teams was also decided by a single goal.
Up Next:
- Top-seeded Plymouth State will host a semifinal game next Friday (Feb. 28) at 6:00 p.m. The Panthers will face the lowest remaining seed following Wednesday's first round action.
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