Sophomore Center Scores Two Goals

            GORHAM, Maine -- Sophomore Julianne Nelson's (Armstrong, B.C.) second goal of the game with 1:29 remaining in regulation gave the University of Southern Maine women's ice hockey team a 5-4 victory over visiting Becker College in a non-conference game Saturday afternoon at the USM Ice Arena.

            The win gave the Huskies a split of the teams home-and-home weekend series, and improved their overall record to 6-9-2.  The Hawks, winners in four of their last five games including a 4-3, come-from-behind win over the Huskies on Friday, fall to 6-9-0.

            With time winding down and the Huskies protecting a 4-3 lead, Becker freshman Cassidhe Wozniak (Turners Falls, Mass.) tied the game with her sixth goal of the season at 17:53.

            The tie lasted just 38 seconds as Nelson picked up a loose puck behind the Becker net, circled out to the right and flipped a backhander into the top of the net over the shoulder of freshman goalie Amber Lee (Nashua, N.H.).

            Southern Maine never trailed in the game, taking 1-0, 3-1 and 4-3 leads before Becker came back to tie the score setting the stage for Nelson.

            USM senior Katie Nolan (Dorchester, Mass.) and Becker sophomore Clare Conway (Billerica, Mass.) traded goals in the first period.

            The Huskies took a 3-1 lead in the second period on goals from Nelson and sophomore Shannon Douglas (Telford, England).  The Hawks came back with goals 1:32 apart from Conway and freshman Katie Puumala (Framingham, Mass.) to tie the game.  Puumala's goal came on the power play.

            Sophomore Rylie Binette (Milan, N.H.) gave the Huskies a 4-3 lead at 6:14 of the third.

            Conway finished the game with two goals and one assist.  Wozniak and Puumala each had a goal and an assist for Becker.  For USM, Binette had a goal and an assist, and junior Shannon Colbert (Manomet, Mass.) had two assists.

            Southern Maine complied a 26-23 edge in shots on goal.  Becker was successful on 2 of 3 power-play opportunities while killing off all four Southern Maine power plays.  Lee made 21 saves.  At the other end, USM rookie Hannah Aveni (Melrose, Mass.) stopped 19 shots.

            The Huskies will play their final non-conference of the 2019-20 campaign on Tuesday (7 p.m.) facing off against local rival, the University of New England.  Becker will play UNE in a home-and-home Colonial Hockey Conference series next Friday (7:10 p.m.) and Saturday (4 p.m.).

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