ASTON, Pa. - The Neumann University women's ice hockey team picked up a few vital points in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) standings on Friday evening, earning a shootout victory over Alvernia University in a game that finished tied 1-1 after 60 minutes of regulation and five minutes of 3-on-3 overtime.
Kaylee Voss scored the lone goal in regulation for the Knights, while
Michelle Winand-Bacon was fantastic in goal with 45 saves.
Hoping to fight their way back up the UCHC standings, the Knights looked to halt a three-game losing skid with a much-needed win. Alvernia had other plans early on in the contest though, as they struck first late in the opening period of play off a deflected shot from the point to take a 1-0 lead. That was about the only way the Golden Wolves were going to score on Winand-Bacon on this night, as she was sharp throughout the rest of the period, stopping
Neumann played a stronger period in the second stanza, but despite its best efforts the team really struggled to find an equalizer. The Knights best chance early in the period came from
Katelyn Brown, who worked her way in behind the Alvernia defense with some slick stuck handling to give herself a breakaway at the 14:15 mark. The senior sniper could not bury the opportunity though as the Golden Wolves remained on top 1-0. The score looked to remain the same heading to intermission, but just as Alvernia thought it was safely taking a one goal lead into the break, the Knights got one final look in period and made it count. After causing a turnover in the visitors' end with less than five seconds left in the frame,
Jasmine Martinez fired a pass across the slot to a wide-open Voss, who knocked home her first career goal with just 1.6 seconds remaining in the period to deadlock things at one apiece moving to the third.
The defensive struggle continued into the third, as neither team could get much going offensively. Alvernia outshot the Knights in the final frame, but Winand-Bacon remained cool, calm and collected as she stopped every shot that came her way to keep things level on the scoreboard. Her best work came in the final minute of regulation, when Neumann conceded a breakaway that could have ended their night. The junior goaltender easily set aside the Alvernia scoring chance though, sending the contest to a sudden-death overtime period.
The extra session would prove to be a wild, back and forth affair. The Golden Wolves carried the play early in the overtime with several shots on goal, but the Knights generated the best chance of bonus period midway through it. Neumann had a 2-on-0 breakaway chance to win it, but
Rachel Frederick's close range shot was stopped as the score remained tied. Alvernia almost immediately went right back down the ice on a breakaway of its own, but could not get a shot off due to some great back-checking from the hosts. The Golden Wolves did close the game out on a 4-on-3 power-play, but again Winand-Bacon was outstanding, shutting the door on the overtime with several key late saves to send the game to a shootout and earn each team at least a point in the conference standings lo
After Alvernia missed on its first shootout attempt, Brown gave the Knights a 1-0 lead with an excellent deke and finish. The second shooter for the Golden Wolves ripped home a goal on her attempt though to tie up the matchup and add a bit of pressure on the Neumann shooters. That pressure did have an effect on the Knights, as they'd miss their next three shots as the skills competition remained tied. Fortunately for the hosts, the stellar play of Winand Bacon persisted as the rounds continued on. The Neumann goaltender also stopped three straight Alvernia efforts to give Martinez an opportunity to be the hero. The senior forward did just that, deking to her right before roofing the puck top shelf to clinch the 2-1 shootout win to earn the Knights a second point to add to their conference tally.
Neumann (1-5-1, 1-3-1) will look to roll its momentum into Saturday's rematch with Alvernia, this time coming on the road at Santander Arena. Puck-drop is scheduled for 2:00 PM.
