PAWTUCKET, R.I. (12/3/2024) – Sophomore Ema Jaskova scored twice and senior McKenzie Muir made 26 saves as the Nichols College women's ice hockey team earned a 3-1 Conference of New England (CNE) victory over Johnson & Wales University on Tuesday night from Lynch Arena.

Jaskova showed why she was named CNE Player of the Week, with her second two goal game in as many games for the Bison. Teammate Anneliese Klein added the other goal for Nichols. Graduate student Grace Melanson, senior Katherine Segalla and freshmen Kerstin Ambruso and Angalisa Caceda added assists for Nichols.

After a 0-0 first period, Nichols opened the scoring in the second period with a goal from Klein. After a Melanson face off win, Ambruso worked the loose puck back up to the point and Klein blasted a one timer, through the netminder and just trickled past the goal line for a 1-0 lead.

The second Bison goal came on the power-play. After Caceda carried the puck into the offensive zone and Jaskova grabbed the hand-off, she set up on the half wall, and rotated a pass up to the point where Segalla let a wrist shot fly. The shot was blocked, and the puck came right to Jaskova who rifled a shot from the top of the circle past the netminder for a 2-0 Bison lead, and a power-play goal. This was Jaskova's third goal in the last two games.

The Wildcats answered back with 4:02 remaining in the second period. Nichols led 2-1 after 40 minutes of action.

The Bison regained their two-goal lead thanks to Jaskova. Jaskova lost the initial face-off but chipped the loose puck past the defender for a breakaway from the blue line in. Jaskova flipped a shot over the shoulder for the goalie for a 3-1 Nichols lead. This was Jaskova's fifth goal of the season.

Muir made multiple big saves including two breakaway chances in the final five minutes of the third period to help earn her third win of the season. Muir turned away 26 shots in the effort for Nichols. The Bison went 1-2 on the power-play and 1-1 on the penalty kill too.

Nichols (5-4-0, 2-3-0 CNE) will stay on the road and head to Springfield, to face off against Western New England on Friday, December 6^th. Puck drop from Olympia Ice Center is set for 8:00 p.m.