BEVERLY, Mass. (11/3/23) – It only took nine seconds in overtime for freshman
Victoria Khou to score the game winning goal for the Nichols College women's hockey team to knock off #15 Endicott College from Raymond J. Bourque Rink on Friday night. The Bison earned their first Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) win with a 2-1 final over the Gulls.
Khou scored the game winning goal which was also her first collegiate goal as well. Freshman
Ema Jaskova scored her team leading fourth goal of the season in the third period. Senior
Grace Melanson and sophomore
Avery Moriarty each tallied assists for Nichols.
Nichols (3-0-0, 1-0-0 CCC) have started the season 3-0-0 for the first time since the 2018-19 season when the Bison also went 3-0-0 in their first three games. With the win, the Bison earn their first win over a ranked opponent in nearly 10 years. Nichols beat #10 Manhattanville 4-3 on December 6, 2013.
Endicott opened the scoring less than two minutes into the first period to grab a 1-0 lead. The Gulls continued to up their pressure for the remainder of the period, outshooting the Bison 14-5 in the opening frame.
Neither team scored in the second frame of action, the Gulls continued their added pressure out shooting Nichols 20-2 in the period and 34-7 over the first 40 minutes. Junior
McKenzie Muir was up to the task for the Bison. She stood on her head stopping 46 of 47 shots in the win for the Nichols.
Jaskova tied the game as 1-1 with just over 12 minutes remaining in the third period. Nichols won the faceoff and freshman
Morgan Rochefort grabbed the loose puck and passed it to Moriarty. Moriarty sent a shot on net and with a net front scramble Melanson passed the puck over to Jaskova who buried the puck into the open cage for a 1-1 game.
This game called for extra time as both the Bison and the Gulls trade chances but neither found the game winning goal. With the start of 3 on 3 overtime, Endicott won the opening faceoff. Khou forced a turnover at the Gulls blue lines and had a breakaway in. Khou faked the shot and then buried the shot on the breakaway to seal the 2-1 win over Endicott for Nichols.
The Bison went 0-1 on the power-play and killed off all 4 penalties they faced.
Nichols will look to continue their hot start as they welcome #15 Endicott to Levy Rink for a CCC match up on Saturday, November 4. Puck drop is slated for 4:40 p.m.
