Utica 4, Potsdam 4 (OT) - Box Score

Utica, N.Y. (1/22/2012) – The Utica College women's hockey team trailed 3-0 in the first period but the Pioneers outscored visiting Potsdam State 3-1 over the course of the final 45:10 to earn a 4-4 tie in ECAC Women's West Conference play at the Utica Memorial Auditorium Sunday afternoon.  Sophomore Venessa Maines netted the game tying goal with just over four minutes to play in the contest to help the Pioneers earn their second tie in as many days against the Bears. 

UC (6-8-2, 3-5-2 ECAC West) is now 3-2-2 in their last seven games headed into a key weekend set at home against Neumann University.  The Bears moved their record to 7-7-3 overall and 4-7-3 in the highly competitive ECAC West. 

Megan Myers (Las Vegas, NV/LA Selects) scored one goal and added two assists for the Pioneers, while Meghan McMahon (Gardner, MA/St. Marks (MA)) and Nicole Schwartz (Danville, CA/San Jose Sharks) each chipped in with one goal and two assists.  Senior defender MacKenzie Roy (Concord, NH/Cushing Academy) and freshman Louise Steele-Norton (Avondale, PA/Millbrook School) each added two assists for the Pioneers. 

Potsdam's surprising first period was fueled by goals from Alexandra Holowka, Emilee Hazelden and Annmarie Lewis. Holowka scored her third goal of the year off an assist from Caitlin Manahan at the 3:20 marker.  The Bears got right back to work just 1:13 later when Hazelden scored her first intercollegiate goal off assists from Lewis and Izzy Fayerman to put the visitors on top 2-0 early on.  Lewis's ninth goal of the season came at the 14:50 marker and gave Potsdam a commanding 3-0 lead. 

The Pioneers would not go down easy as they tacked on two goals just over two minutes apart to cut their deficit to one goal by the end of the first period.  Meghan McMahon (Gardner, MA/St. Marks (MA)) netted her third tally of the year less than two minutes after Potsdam's third goal and freshman Nicole Schwartz (Danville, CA/San Jose Sharks) registered a tally with 1:29 left in the period to make it a one goal game.
 
The second period saw the Pioneers outshoot the Bears 14-8 but both goalies stood strong as the score held at 3-2 headed into the final 20 minutes of regulation.

Hazelden posted her second goal of the evening 8:27 into the final stanza to give the Bears a comfortable two goal advantage.  It turned out that the two goal lead would not be enough and Myers started the Pioneer rally just 21 seconds after the Bears fourth goal of the game.  Myers got her own rebound and found the back of the net to make it a one goal game.  Maines would knot the score at 4-4 with 4:02 left in regulation when she skated the length of the ice and slipped a wrister past Potsdam net minder Dawna Salvarinas to send the contest to overtime for the second consecutive night. 

The Pioneers were able to kill a two minute penalty in the overtime period and each team got off two shots, but the goaltenders kept the puck out of the net as the five minute extra time expired with the score tied 4-4. 

UC outshot Potsdam 33-29 on the afternoon and Utica sophomore goalie Jennifer Hamel (Ithaca, NY/Northwood School) stopped 25 shots as her record moved to 5-5-2 on the year.  Salvarinas made 29 save in net for the Bears.
 
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