FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Jillian Petruno's 48-save outing highlighted a contested battle at the Martire Family Arena as the Sacred Heart University women's ice hockey team battled hard but could fend off the opposition, falling to the Saint Anselm Hawks in overtime, 1-0, on Saturday afternoon.
After a frenzied first period the night before, both teams became calculated in the opening frame of Saturday's contest, limiting chances for both squads in the first 20 minutes. Both teams, however, had small glimpses to crack open the scoring on the power play, but neither side could convert as the Red & White went 0-for-2 on advantage in the period, which would stand as their lone power-play opportunities of the match.
On the defensive side, SHU continued its prowess on the penalty kill in the first period, stymying the Hawks on their lone opportunity in the first as Petruno's 10 saves in the period for the Pios sent the sides into the first period break deadlocked, 0-0.
The second period played out much like the first as both teams continued vying for the game-opening goal but neither side was able to solve the two netminders through the frame. After a five-goal second period in Friday's series-opener, the Pios continued to calculate their chances of a repeat from the night before but could not solve the Hawks' Courtney Stagman who stopped all six attempts her way in the middle frame.
For SHU, Petruno once again proved to be the difference maker in the frame, stopping all 14 Saint Anselm shots through the period as she once again approached the 30-plus saves marker.
The goaltender battle continued into the third period as a frantic Hawks side came out buzzing to start the period, 1uickly amassing a 10-2 shot advantage through the first eight minutes of action. Still, the Pios had their chances through the frame as the top line pairing of
Paige McNeil,
Kate Helgeson and
Iyla Ryskamp had an opportunity to open the scoring but could not convert on a net-front scramble. Following the chance, the visitors continued to pepper Petruno as the sophomore stood on her head in the final frame, stopping 22 shots to send the game into overtime after a scoreless 60 minutes of action.
In the overtime period, Saint Anselm came out swinging, immediately finding themselves with a breakway opportunity just over 30 seconds into the frame as Brooklyn Schneiderhan found herself one-on-one with Petruno. However, as vengeance from the night before, Petruno read Schneiderhan's backhand the whole way before stopping the secondary rebound chance, much to the crowd's delight.
Unfortunately for the Pios, the Hawks would not be stopped as Natalie Tulchinsky made a nifty move past a SHU defender on the rush, sending a wrist shot past Petruno to end the game 80 seconds into the overtime period as the Pios fell, 1-0.
Top Performers:
Jillian Petruno: 48 saves, 1 goal allowed
Iyla Ryskamp: 6 shots
Julianna Koman: 1 shot, 3 blocked shots
Of Note:
- The overtime loss was the first time the Pios have played the extra five-minute period this season and the first time since an overtime loss in game two of last season's NEWHA Quarterfinal series against Franklin Pierce.
- Petruno's 48 saves is the most in a she has accrued in a game since stopping 53 shots against UConn in the Nutmeg Classic on November 25. She now has made 30 or more saves in six of her last eight starts.
Up Next:
The Pioneers are back in action on Thursday, January 18, for a midweek tilt against Franklin Pierce. Puck drop from Jason Ritchie Ice Arena is slated for 7 p.m. More information can be found at sacredheartpioneers.com.
