SHELTON, Conn. — Behind a season-best three-point performance from senior
Paige McNeil (2g, 1a), the Sacred Heart University women's ice hockey team skated to a 3-0 victory over in-state foe Post in New England Women's Hockey Alliance's (NEWHA) play on Friday in Shelton, Conn.
The Pioneers finally broke through in a defensive-minded opening period with a goal at the 19:05 mark. The first goal of the game came off an ensuing faceoff after the opposing keeper gloved an
Isabella Chaput shot from the slot. McNeil won the following draw, ripping a shot from the circle that found the top of the net.
The start of the second mirrored the first as the game's next goal didn't come until 6:27 had eclipsed in the period. McNeil got back in the scoresheet to double SHU's lead, scoring off a pass from
Peyton Bennetts. Bennetts swiped the puck in the puck in the neutral zone before finding McNeil, who sniped the top-right corner while falling down.
SHU's advantage grew to three just 1:54 later on a power-play goal from
Olivia LaRoche, the first of the season for the sophomore. Following a tripping call on Post's Jet Devlin, Laroche one-timed a shot stick side to make it a 3-0 Pios' lead at the 15:27 mark. McNeil earned an assist on the strike for her third point of the day, while
Sydney Antonakis was credited with the primary assist.
With LaRoche's extra-skater goal, the Pioneers finished their second straight game with a power-play strike. On the other end, SHU went a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill, which included a 3-on-5 chance in the third.
The Pioneers kept the Eagles off the scoreboard in the third to preserve the team's third shutout of the season.
Jillian Petruno played all 60 minutes between the pipes for SHU, earning her fifth win of the season behind 30 saves. The sophomore from Wixom, Mich., owns a shutout in each of her last two starts.
Top Performers:
Of Note:
- McNeil's two-goal performance is her first multi-goal performance since earning two goals in a 6-4 win over Stonehill last season on Nov. 12. The multi-point performance is her third of the season after tallying a goal and an assist in SHU's 4-2 win over Stonehill on Nov. 11.
- Petruno has posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time in her collegiate career and now has three on the season to lead the Pios.
- LaRoche has points in back-to-back games for the first time in her career and is now one point away from tying her career single-season high in that department.
- Bennetts knotted her first point and assist since earning one in SHU's 4-2 loss to Franklin Pierce on Nov. 21.
Up Next:
Sacred Heart closes out this weekend's home-and-home against Post tomorrow at 3 p.m. at the Martire Family Arena. More information will be available on sacredheartpioneers.com.
