UTICA, NY - Utica University's women's hockey team traveled to Lake Placid, NY, to take on the SUNY Canton Kangaroos in the first of a two-game neutral-site set. The Pioneers jumped out to an early lead in the game, but two 3rd period scores by the Roos opened the door to an eventual shootout victory for Canton. Despite the final shootout result, both teams will be credited with a tie on their season-long records, moving Utica to 3-9-1. The teams will face off again tomorrow at 3:00 pm.

Six players each earned one point on the night, with Kelsey Elliott (Attleboro, MA/) and Kaci Ryder (Shrewsbury, MA/) netting the two Utica scores. Elliott's game-opening tally on the power play was assisted by juniors Nora Pollestad (Stavanger, Norway/) and Angelina Garganese (Winter Springs, FL). Ryder's score notched assists for freshmen Camryn Behonick (Vestal, NY/) and Samantha Dobrzynski (Garnet Valley, PA/). Maya Jerome (Belleville, MI/) was credited with four blocked shots for her second consecutive game, marking the 13th instance a Pioneer has reached the number in a single game. Alex Venning (Courtice, ON/) earned the start in net for Utica, making eight saves in each period, and two in overtime.

Canton's point scoring was also split between six different players. Riley Andzel found the scoresheet first for the Roos, followed by Joey Schemenauer tying the game. Danika Lalonde and Anna Pavlasova were credited with assists on Andzel's goal, with Chamonix Jackson and Sydney Valiquette helping on Schemenauer's score. Lalonde additionally went on to score the shootout-winning goal. Molly Lenihan played between the pipes for Canton, stopping 22 of 24 shots that came her way through 65:00.

Utica's power play opened the scoring at the 9:06 mark of the first period with a goal by Elliott. Ryder added her even strength goal late in the period, with 2:42 remaining. The score held until the mid-3rd period, when Andzel cut the deficit to one at the 10:53 mark. With exactly five minutes left in regulation, Schemenauer netted the tying goal, forcing overtime and an eventual shootout. The Pioneers took the first shot of the shootout, and each team struggled to put pucks on net. After four rounds, neither team had put a shot on goal, and Utica continued the trend on their opening shot of the fifth round. Canton's Lalonde took their fifth round shot, scoring and concluding the game.

The two teams are set to challenge each other again tomorrow, January 11th, with puck drop set for 3:00 pm. Utica will return to home ice on Wednesday, the 14th, when the team hosts their Gold Ribbon Game. Action is set to begin at 4:00 pm when the Worcester State University Lancers come to the Nexus Center.