Keene State Women’s Ice Hockey team entered the University of Southern Maine (USM) on Saturday, Feb. 21, to win their last regular season game 3-2. The Owls have already punched their ticket to the Little East Conference (LEC) playoffs, but picked up momentum as they began playoff hockey.
USM started the game with the foot on the gas pedal, keeping Keene State trapped in their zone and firing pucks on net. Sophomore goaltender Ai Chung sat between the pipes for the Owls and faced 47 shots in 60 minutes. Chung stopped four shots within the first three minutes of the game, but let in the first of the game about six minutes in.
Down by one just minutes into the game, Keene State turned on the gas in hopes of tying the game up. The Owls overcommitted on aggression, and sophomore Caroline Demeo picked up a tripping penalty.
Chung made a few key saves while down a skater and a minute after the power play ended for USM, sophomore captain Ellie Patrick buried her fifth goal of the season. The tying goal came off assists from first-year Tabby Jones and sophomore Emma McNeil.
With the game tied, both teams went up and down the ice, forcing pressure on each other, but neither team managed to find the back of the net until the first period came to an end, the score at 1-1. KSC was able to kill a five-minute major penalty and was unable to score on a power play of its own. Sophomore forward Ava Iantosca received a game misconduct at the final moments of the first period and was ejected from the game.
USM began the period on the power play, but was unable to capitalize on the opportunity. Another powerplay for USM was awarded several minutes later when Chung saved three shots and many Owls lay out to block incoming shots.
With even strength, the Huskies gave the Owls a hard time in the offensive zone. That was until Patrick scored her second of the night off another pass from Jones to give the Owls their first lead of the night.
A late-period penalty on USM gave Keene State the advantage for the rest of the second period and the Owls cruised into the second intermission with a one-goal lead.
A minute into the third period, USM committed another penalty and sent KSC’s power play back on the ice. After USM served the two-minute penalty, both teams could not seem to get quality chances on the net and were unable to find the equalizer for the Huskies or the lead extender of KSC.
Around nine minutes into the third period, the Owls won a key faceoff to gain possession in the offensive zone. Jones was able to corral the puck and deliver the third assist of the night from the first-year. The goal was scored by McNeil and would give the Owls a two-goal lead with half a period to play.
With eight minutes left in the game, KSC committed a penalty to give USM a key power play opportunity. Chung made several saves to kill off the power play, but USM was able to score on even strength with minutes to go.
Chung stayed resilient after the goal, putting up a few saves as the clock ran out to give KSC a 3-2 victory.
USM had seven power plays throughout the game and did not score on any of them, while Keene State went one for two at 50%.
The KSC Women’s Ice Hockey team heads into playoffs with their first game taking place on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at Vermont State Castleton.
Jacob Enscoe can be contacted at
