EAST BOSTON – Penalties plagued Suffolk women's hockey as Nichols put away a pair of powerplay goals to take down the Rams, 2-1, Saturday night at Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 1, Nichols 2
RECORDS: Suffolk (0-2-0) | Nichols (2-0-0)
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless first frame Payton Dockus converted a set-up from Tess Adams 2:46 into the second stanza to break open the scoring.
Suffolk hung onto its edge until Adams was sent to the box for tripping at the 15:44 minute mark. With the Rams on the penalty kill the Bison hammered Kristen Caporusso inside the pipes. Suffolk's netminder held Nichols off, for a while, but could not stop Abby Lueken's snipe 32 seconds into the powerplay. Lueken's first goal of the season, which was assisted by Alicia Hunks, leveled the playing field at 1-all and sent the foes into the second intermission on equal ground.
As time expired in the second Shana Cote was called for interference, which gave the Bison a 4-on-3 advantage out of the locker room as a Rams and Bison skater each went to the box at 18:20 for coincidental penalties. With fresh legs and the man-up edge Nichols took advantage with Jordy McGuire putting away the rebound of McKenna Gernander's attempt to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.
Suffolk attempted a comeback and had its chances, but was unable to lit the lamp the remainder of the way and the 2-1 score held in Nichols favor.
NETMINDER NOTES
- Caporusso put together a 22-save performance.
- Cassandra Goyette made 32 saves to improve to 2-0-0 on the season.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Dockus scored Suffolk's only goal with Adams earning one point with one helper.
- Suffolk out shot Nichols, 33-24, and controlled the face-off dot, 35-29.
NOTEWORTHY
- Prior to puck drop, Suffolk University President Marisa Kelly dropped a ceremonial puck to celebrate the inaugural Suffolk women's hockey season and the five other sports – women's golf and men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field – in a six-sport expansion deal in the fall of 2016.
- Suffolk hosted its first-ever game.
- The Rams moved to 0-2-0 versus Nichols all time.
- Dockus scored her first collegiate goal, which gave Suffolk its first-ever lead.
- Adams recorded her first point as a Ram with the handout on Dockus' score.
POST-GAME PIC
See attached.
COMING UP
Suffolk is set to take on Anna Maria next Friday, Nov. 2 at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
