Rivier RIV 9-9-1, 6-3-1

Plymouth St. PSU 14-7-1, 9-2-1

Rivier RIV

9-9-1, 6-3-1

Final

Feb. 08, 2025

Plymouth St. PSU

14-7-1, 9-2-1

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	F
Rivier RIV	1	0	2	3
Plymouth St. PSU	0	0	1	1

Summary
Box Score

Game Recap: Women's Ice Hockey | 2/8/2025 5:17:00 PM | Christopher J. Kilmer, Asst. Director of Communications for Athletics

WH: Porrello scores, Rivier spoils Panthers’ Senior Day

PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Junior Katie Porrello (Milford, Conn.) potted her seventh goal of the season, leading to a barrage of teddy bears being thrown onto the ice, but Rivier University spoiled the Senior Day and annual Teddy Bear Toss game with a 3-1 win over the Panthers in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) women's ice hockey action at Hanaway Rink on Saturday afternoon.

Rivier got onto the scoreboard late in the first period and the one-goal advantage held into the third period. The visitors took advantage of a fortunate bounce of the puck to double the margin with six minutes left to play, but Porrello answered back a minute later, leading to thousands of stuffed animals being thrown onto the ice. The bears will be donated to Dartmouth Health Children's (CHaD) to provide comfort and support to over 2,000 pediatric patients.

The tally sparked the Panthers, as the hosts controlled play for the remainder of the contest but the Rivier defense came up with some key saves and blocked shots. Forced to pull the goalie with just over a minute left, a Rivier defenseman fired a shot from deep in their own zone to seal the game.

Prior to the contest, special guest six-year-old Isabelle Fortier, a former CHaD patient, conducted a ceremonial puck drop. The annual event, co-sponsored by Plymouth State Athletics and Marketing Association of Plymouth State (MAPS), is in its eighth year.

The game also served as PSU's Senior Game. Prior to the contest, Plymouth State honored its six seniors for their commitment and contributions to the women's ice hockey program: Emily DeSimone (Norwood, Mass.), Alanna Hoag (Clinton, Mass.), Libby Carter (Franklin, Mass.), Emily Biggin (Didsbury, Alberta), Robyn Grant (Airdrie, Alberta) and Brenna Smith (Medfield, Mass.).

Plymouth State's four-game winning streak was snapped as PSU moves to 14-7-1 (9-2-1 MASCAC), while the Raiders improve to 9-9-1 (6-3-1 MASCAC) and take the season series, 2-1.

The Basics:

Plymouth State 1, Rivier 3
- Plymouth State (14-7-1, 9-2-1 MASCAC)
- Rivier (9-9-1, 6-3-1 MASCAC)

How it Happened:

Porrello had the game's first scoring chance roughly five minutes in when she flew down the left side for a breakout, but her shot was kicked aside.
Sophomore Karlee Lehner (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan) was tested minutes later with a pair of close-range shots, but she was up to the task.
Lehner came up big again with just under five minutes left in the first when a Rivier skater gained possession in the neutral zone and got past the defense for a breakaway. Lehner held her ground, snatching the shot with her glove.
Rivier broke through with just over three minutes left when a Raider cleaned up a rebound on a shot from the blue line and the guests took a 1-0 lead into the intermission.
PSU had an opportunity five minutes into the second when Carter carried the puck down the right side before sending a centering feed to Hoag in the slot, but her stick was tied up and the puck slid through the crease untouched.
The Panthers built zone time through the middle portion of the second and Porrello had a chance on the nearside but the Rivier goalie got just enough of her leg on it to keep the puck out of the net and the Raiders maintained the one-goal advantage into the third period.
The Raiders doubled the lead with six minutes left to play when the puck took a fortunate bounce off the boards during a PSU clearance attempt. The puck bounced right to a Rivier skater, whose shot from the left side snuck inside the post.
PSU answered right back a minute later when Carter poked the puck free in the defensive zone and Porrello flew down the ice and past the defense, before slipping a shot inside the left post sending thousands of bears onto the ice.
The Panthers opted for the extra skater with just over a minute to go, but Rivier fired a shot into the empty net from its defensive zone to seal the win.

By the Numbers:

Porrello's seven goals are the second-most on the team. She leads the Panthers with 17 points.
Carter picked up her third assist of the season.
Lehner finished with 19 saves.
DeSimone won 12-of-15 faceoffs.
Plymouth State held a 33-22 advantage in shots, including 15-6 in the third period.
Neither team was called for a penalty.
The teams split a weekend home-and-home series last month.

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