Box Score HARRISVILLE, R.I. – Senior
Grace Murphy (Montclair, Va.) scored the game-winning goal with just 56 seconds left in the third period as the Nichols College women's ice hockey team defeated Southern Maine 4-3 in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Women's East action Saturday evening at Levy Rink.
The win marks only the second time in school history that the Bison have beaten the Huskies. In the process, they equaled the program-record for wins in a season (seven), which was also accomplished during the 2011-12 campaign.
Trailing 3-2 late in the third, the Bison (7-13-0, 4-8-0 ECAC Women's East) tied things up at 18:23 when senior
Talia Hohmann (Marina, Calif.) potted her second goal in as many days. Southern Maine junior Kaleigh Heath (Jericho, Vt.) was called for holding, which put the Bison on the power play. Nichols head coach
Wil Brown elected to pull senior goaltender
Tori Gianformaggio (Huntington Beach, Calif.) to give the Bison a two-skater advantage, which paid off when Hohmann knocked in a rebound in tight. Seniors
Lisa Coskren (Norwood, Mass.) and
Alyssa Bufis (Linden, N.J.) received assists on the goal.
Just over one minute later, Murphy broke in 2-on-1 down the right wing boards. Nichols' all-time leader in goals, assists, and points let go of a wrister from the right circle that found its way over the glove of senior Liz Bergstrom (Chanhassen, Minn.) to give the Bison their first lead of the game at 4-3.
"It feels nice to match the program record for wins in a season," said Brown. "Anytime you can set or match a record, it's a good feeling."
After a scoreless first period which saw the Huskies held to just three shots, they came out on the offensive early in the second stanza. Sophomore Lynn Kozlowski (Stoneham, Mass.) took a shot from the slot and beat Gianformaggio on her stick-side at 4:28 to put Southern Maine on top, 1-0. Sophomore McKenna Russell (Stoughton, Mass.) and junior Chelsea Boucher (Gilford, N.H.) were credited with assists on the play.
The Bison quickly answered back. At 5:59, Bufis took off down the right side and was able to get off a shot from the bottom of the right circle despite being tripped on the play that snuck into the right side of the net. Southern Maine (7-13-1, 5-7-1 ECACE) regained the lead at 2-1 at 15:29 on a goal by senior captain Julia Pearl (Essex Junction, Vt.).
The Bison rallied back to tie the game 4:40 in the third period. Senior
Taylor Brown (Winthrop, Mass.) gained the blue-line, maneuvered through the Huskies defense, and wristed the puck into the top left corner of the net. Pearl again put the Huskies on top by one with her second power-play goal of the game at 7:09.
Gianformaggio made 25 saves and picked up her sixth win of the year, which breaks her own single-season record for wins, set when she was a freshman. Bergstrom took the loss after stopping 20 shots.
The Bison host Salve Regina on Friday for Senior Night at 6:40 p.m. The Huskies host Norwich on Friday at 4:00 p.m.
