Box Score Huskies Host Salve Regina on Saturday
GORHAM, Maine -- Senior Julia Pearl (Essex, Jct., Vt.) had a goal and an assist to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies women's ice hockey team to a 2-1 victory over the visiting Sacred Heart University Pioneers in non-conference action Wednesday afternoon at the USM Ice Arena.
The win snapped a five-game losing skid for the Huskies and gave them a split of their two-game series with the Pioneers. The Huskies improved to 3-8-1 on the season. The Division One independent Pioneers, who won Tuesday's game 4-2, had their two-game winning streak stopped and fell to 5-7-0 overall.
Pearl gave the Huskies a 1-0 lead at 16:47 of the opening period as she tucked in the rebound of sophomore Katie Couture's (Harrisville, R.I.) shot. Sophomore Lynn Kozlowski (Stoneham, Mass.) set the play in motion from the right-wing corner sending the puck to Couture out in front. SHU junior goalie Nicole Magee (Burlington, Mass.) made the save on Couture, but the rebound went right to Pearl at the left post and the senior tri-captain slipped it into the open side for her first goal of the season.
The Huskies kept the pressure on Magee in the second period, but the junior stopped seven shots to keep the home side from adding to its lead.
Early in the third period, Pearl triggered the play that resulted in what proved to be the game-winning tally. Pearl's pass sent Kozlowski and Couture in on a 2-on-1. Kozlowski dropped the puck to Couture who waited, then rifled a shot past Magee for her fifth marker of the season.
The Pioneers made things interesting in the final three minutes as junior Heather Daley (Brewster, N.Y.) converted a set-up from classmate Hanna Skelly (Wolfeboro, N.H.) and senior Brianna Connolly (Duxbury, Mass.) that cut the Huskies' lead to one.
Magee was lifted with 43 seconds to play for the extra attacker, but the Huskies were able to pin the Pioneers in their own zone to run out the clock.
USM senior goalie Liz Bergstrom (Chanhassen, Minn.) earned her third win of the season stopping 16 shots, including nine in the final period. Magee finished with 23 saves.
Southern Maine returns to league play this Saturday (1:00 p.m.) hosting Salve Regina University. Sacred Heart will begin a two-game series with the University of New England on Friday (4:00 p.m.).
-ble-
