HARRISVILLE, R.I. – Freshman McKenna Gernander scored her seventh goal of the season 26 seconds into overtime to send the Nichols College women's ice hockey to its first-ever playoff victory, a 2-1 triumph over Johnson & Wales (RI) University Saturday night in Colonial Hockey Conference (CHC) Quarterfinal action at Levy Rink.
 
Classmate Jordyn McGuire also scored for the Bison, who saw junior netminder Cassandra Goyette turn aside 26 shots to earn her seventh win of the season. Junior Kelly Ferreira and freshman Mel McAleer collected two apples each. Sophomore Kathryn Mason scored the lone goal for the Wildcats (9-13-4).
 
Mason opened the scoring with her 11th of the season at 15:19 of the second period. McGuire's second tally of the 2017-18 campaign came from the left circle and tied the game at one at 7:16 of the third.
 
The Bison (12-11-1) received a pair of PP chances late in the third, the latter of which carried over into overtime. McAleer played the puck towards the net from the right wing boards, and it caromed off Ferreira and onto the stick of Gernander, who stepped into a shot and beat JWU senior goalie Kami Weiner with a shot inside the left post.
 
Nichols – which advances to face top-seeded Morrisville State next Saturday in upstate New York – finished the night 1-for-3 with the extra skater while JWU was 1-for-2.
 
All-Time Series
Tonight's playoff contest marks the fifth all-time meeting between the Wildcats and Bison. The Bison now lead the series, 3-2-0.

Quotes
"I am extremely proud of the way we battled back tonight. This is a special group of student-athletes and I couldn't be happier to see their hard work pay off." -Nichols head coach Mike O'Grady