BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Nichols College women's ice hockey team fell opened its 2016-17 season with a 9-0 loss to Morrsiville State Friday afternoon in the first game of the Puck Drop Classic at Buffalo State.
 
Sophomore Stephanie Strymecki (Kelowna, British Columbia) finished the game with a hat trick while classmate Maria deWilde (Caistorville, Ontario) potted a pair of goals and finished 19-22 on faceoffs to lead the Mustangs.
 
Six student-athletes scored goals for Morrisville while they tallied 16 assists on the afternoon. Freshman Vanessa Klimpke (Winnipeg, Manitoba) finished with a goal and two assists as well as a game-high 14 shots – including 10 in the first period.
 
The Bison were outshot in the game 61-5 – including 31-2 in the first period. Sophomores Kirsten Sullivan (Arlington, Mass.) and Callie Jackson (Vineyard Haven, Mass.) along with senior Kara Donati (Saugus, Mass.) and freshmen Kate O'Shea (Billerica, Mass.) and Margaret Ready (Centerville, Mass.) had shots for Nichols.
 
Junior Lindsay O'Connell (Danvers, Mass.) stopped 52 shots – 29 in the first period – in the loss while sophomore Renee Schmaltz (Beaumont, Alberta) only needed five saves to take the win.
 
All-Time Series
This was the first time these two teams have met with the Mustangs now leading the all-time series at 1-0-0.
 
Next Games
Nichols (0-1-0) – Saturday, October 29 vs Buffalo St. in Puck Drop Classic, 4:30 p.m.
Morrisville St. (1-0-0) – Saturday, October 29 vs Plymouth St. in Puck Drop Classic, 1:00 p.m.