FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Isabella Chaput's second career multi-goal game was the dagger as the Sacred Heart University women's ice hockey team earned the series sweep over Franklin Pierce with a gritty, 2-1 victory on Saturday night.
Looking to continue the scoring momentum from the night before, the Pios started the second game on the front foot, amassing a 6-0 shot advantage through the first seven minutes of action. However, it was the Ravens who broke the ice in the first period as Claire Casey found the back of the net on FPU's first shot of the game. The Ravens were able to break out cleanly from their own zone as a give-and-go between Casey and Mikayla Kelley found the former in the low slot as she went five hole on SHU netminder
Jillian Petruno to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The final 13 minutes of the period saw both teams struggle to gain any dominance as both squads found themselves in penalty trouble with the Ravens earning three power play opportunities, including a five-on-three advantage halfway through the period. However, neither team failed to capitalize as the SHU penalty kill had the best opportunity for either team to find a special teams strike. With the Pios unable to convert on their special teams opportunities, the visitors kept their 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission.
SHU came out in the second period looking to equalize early with 1:50 left on the power play, however, the Ravens negated the Pios from sending anything toward goalkeeper Gwen Bowler. Under five minutes into the period, the Pios finally broke through as
Isabella Chaput bagged her team-leading fifth goal of the season to tie the game 1-1. After Petruno made a point-blank save at one end, the Pios went streaking down the ice as Chaput sent a wrist shot past Bowler and into the top corner for the equalizing goal.
The Pios continued to mount pressure in the Ravens' end of the ice but could not find the back of the net to take their first lead of the game as Bowler made 14 stops in the period for FPU, capitulating the lone goal to Chaput. On the other end, Petruno closed the door for the Pios in the middle frame as the defense held the Ravens to just five shots on goal as the game remained deadlocked at one heading into the third period.
In a lethargic start to the third period, the penalty minutes racked up as both squads failed to gain any momentum until the midpoint of the period. After a few FPU chances, the Pioneers jumped into the lead for the first time in the game as Chaput put home her second goal of the night. After corralling a loose puck in the defensive zone,
Kate Helgeson sent a pass to Chaput, who was streaking along the left wing side. After beating an FPU defender, Chaput's wrister found the top corner to give the home side a 2-1 advantage with 10 minutes remaining.
The Pios continued to hold the Ravens at bay, limiting the Ravens to nine shots on goal in the final frame as Petruno closed the door on the comeback bid to give the Pioneers their first weekend series sweep of the season.
Top Performers:
Of Note:
- The sweep over the Ravens is the Pios' first sweep of the season and first since taking two consecutive meetings over Post in January 2023.
- With the win, the Pios swept the Ravens for the first time since sweeping a two-game set on February 1, 2020.
- Chaput now leads the Red & White in goals after tallying her fifth and sixth goals of the season. Chaput tallied her second-consecutive multi-point performance after bagging three assists in the weekend opener.
- Helgeson leads the team with 10 points after earning her second-consecutive multi-assist performance.
- Jillian Petruno earned her second win of the season and her first weekend sweep of her collegiate career.
Up Next:
The Pioneers return to action next weekend for a series against Stonehill on November 10-11. Puck drop from Martire Family Arena is slated for 2 p.m. on both days. Live statistics and livestream information will be available on sacredheartpioneers.com.
