KEENE, N.H. – After Keene State College President, Melinda Treadwell, dropped the ceremonial first puck, the Plymouth State University Panthers spoiled the Owls' first game in program history, by defeating their in-state rivals, 6-0.

Records

• Keene State: 0-1
• Plymouth State: 1-0

Postgame Interview (Rob Morgan)

How it Happened
The Owls had a scoring opportunity early in the first period, but after Paige Henault's shot was saved by the Panthers' goaltender, Karlee Lehner, Henault won the ensuing faceoff, and Lehner made two more saves to deny the Owls from netting their first goal in program history early in the contest. After KSC's goaltender, Madelyn Adamic made seven saves in net over the next five minutes, Morgan Cunningham was able to sneak a shot past her, to put PSU up 1-0, 8:20 into the contest. KSC was able to kill their first penalty in program history, as Adamic made three saved over the two minute span. After Adamic made three more saves in net, PSU took a 2-0 lead after Emily DeSimone. In the final minutes of the first period, both goaltenders made a pair of saves, to keep the score at 2-0 for the Panthers heading into the next 20 minutes of play.
 
KSC had a 5-4 and even a 5-3 opportunity early in the second period, but four saves from Lehner over the opening 4:08 prevented KSC from pulling within a goal. Adamic continued to make four saves for the Owls on their half of the ice in a 37 second span, but 12:35 into the second period, Laura Castronova, broke Adamic's save streak, to put PSU up 3-0. Not only did Castronova net a goal at the 12:35 mark, she also tacked on another goal 25 seconds later, to increase the Panthers' lead to four, after DeSimone fed her with a pass in front of the Owls' crease. The Panthers' fifth goal of the game came at the 14:50 mark of the contest, as the puck went wide of the goal, but due to an issue with the netting, allowed for the puck to go underneath the side of the goal and into the back of the net, which the referees called a good goal for Libby Carter. In the final few minutes of the second period, neither team got a scoring opportunity, as PSU held on to their 5-0 lead heading into the final 20 minutes of play.
 
After Abby Tanner entered the goal for the Owls after PSU's fifth goal, she locked down the Panthers at the start of the third period, as she made six saves, just as Lehner did to the Owls, over the first half of the final period. KSC continued to try to score their first goal in program history, but Lehner continued to deny them of doing so, as she made five more saves on the Owls over the past few minutes. When the Panthers were on the penalty kill later in the period, Jamie Steinmetz dumped the puck into the Owls' zone, where Emily Briggin was able to corral the deflection from behind the goal, which led her to firing a shot past Tanner, to put PSU up, 6-0. Lehner made four saves on the Owls the rest of the way, to complete her shutout on the day.
 
Inside the Box

• PSU outshot the Owls, 41-30, but KSC had the advantage on faceoffs, winning 28 of 52, compared to 24 of 52 for the Panthers.
• Adamic made 23 saves in her 34:50 in the net for the Owls, while in her 25:01 in goal, Tanner made 12 saves. Lehner posted a shutout on 30 saves on the day.
• KSC blocked 15 shots to six from PSU, with Haylee Owen, Ellie Patrick, and Emma McNeil blocking three shots apiece for KSC.
• Both teams did not capitalize on powerplays, as PSU went 0/3 and KSC went 0/5.

Up Next
Both teams will next face off on short rest, as they will play each other tomorrow, on Saturday, November 2, at 2:00 PM.