UTICA, NY - Utica University's women's hockey team completed its two-game set with the Oswego State Lakers, a team receiving votes in the national polls. After a final-minute strike gave the Pioneers a win in game one, the squads battled in another thriller, but it was the Lakers responding with a 2-1 win in the final seconds of a 3-on-3 overtime period. Utica now slides to a 2-2 record after splitting two series against strong opponents and will look to carry momentum into their first UCHC conference matchups next weekend at Hilbert College.
Freshman forward
Autumn Frear (Marshall, VA/Gilmour Academy) netted the lone Utica goal of the evening, scoring in a second-straight game after netting her collegiate first in yesterday's matchup. Sophomore
Veronica Houk (Richboro, PA/Council Rock South) has now built a three-game point streak, joining
Samantha Dobrzynski (Garnet Valley, PA/Garnet Valley) as assisters on the score. After netting the game-winner yesterday, junior forward
Kendall Best (Troy, MI/Troy) flashed two-way ability by winning a team-best 12-of-22 faceoffs and recording the program's 18th instance of four or more blocked shots in a single game since tracking began in the 2016-17 season. Between the pipes, freshman
Yael Fatiev (Kiryat Shmona, Israel/Ontario Hockey Academy) turned away 35 of the 37 shots on target she faced.
After a tight matchup yesterday, the squads matched the intensity in game two. On Utica's ice, neither squad could break through until the final frame. Oswego came out with the early pressure, putting 15 shots on goal to Utica's five in the opening 20 minutes. The Pioneers slowed down the Lakers in the second period, even killing three Oswego power plays, but were still outshot 8-5 in the second frame. Entering the second intermission, the visitors were outshooting 23-10, but were still deadlocked 0-0.
5:58 into the third period, the Lakers opened the scoring on the power play with a Georgia Cunliffe goal. She completed assists for Lauren Riccobelli and Shaye Jasiel. The Pioneers worked hard to even the score, controlling play until at the 11:26 mark of the frame, Frear knocked home the equalizer. Also with a man advantage, Dobrzynski sent a pass to Houk, who fired a shot that was rebounded away by Mia Devivo, the Oswego netminder. Frear quickly found the loose puck, knocking it into the back of the net. The Lakers accounted for five of the seven remaining shots on goal in regulation, but neither team could break the 1-1 tie.
Both squads took three shots on goal in the overtime frame, but it was the Lakers' last that brought the 2-1 final. Oswego took the first just over a minute into play, but the Pioneers responded with three dangerous chances of their own between the 2:05 and 2:29 marks. After another Laker attempt at 3:10, the deciding goal came with just 16.6 seconds before the shootout would begin. Cunliffe and Katie Demers combined on the Oswego attack to get the puck behind the net, passing to Julia Power in the slot. Power shot into the upper-right corner, with the puck finding its way around Fatiev's glove to end the contest.
The Pioneers return to action next Friday and Saturday, November 13th and 14th, in a two-game road set with Hilbert College. Puck drop is set for 7:00 pm on Friday and 2:00 pm on Saturday, both at the Nike Base Ice Rink in Hamburg, NY. The orange and blue return to the Nexus Center on Friday, November 20th, in a 4:00 pm-scheduled matchup with Elmira College, a team ranked 12th in both the USCHO and DIIIHockeyNews polls.
