KEENE, N.H. – Two weeks after netting the game-winning overtime goal at Plymouth State for the Owls' first win in program history, Brianna Finke struck again, as she scored the game-winner against Rivier University on Saturday night to give Keene State College their first home win in program history.

Records

• Keene State: 3-2
• Rivier: 2-4

How it Happened


The KSC attack looked to pick up where they left off after defeating Rivier 5-1 the night before as they were on the attack early, but with Rachel Symmes in goal this game instead, she made three saves on the Owls in the opening 3:09 of play. Rivier responded by being on the attack the next seven minutes of the first period, but Ai Chung made four saves on the Raiders. At the 11:56 mark, Rivier got their first power play of the day, but they were only able to record one shot on goal, which Chung saved, before a penalty of their own as the game went to 4-on-4 for 18 seconds. Ellie Patrick got off a shot over the 18 seconds, but Symmes saved it, along with two more shots from KSC over the power play, but the Raiders killed the rest of the penalty off. Symmes made four more saves the rest of the period, including two while KSC had another power play, which Rivier killed off. Chung made two saves the rest of the period, with one coming on a 5-on-3 opportunity for Rivier as the two penalties on the Owls carried over into the start of the second period.
 
The Raiders attack applied a ton of pressure on KSC in the first six minutes of the second period. After Chung saved the two shots on the 5-on-3 opportunity for Rivier and the Owls killed the penalties, she had to make three more saves in goal to go with seven blocked shots over the opening six minutes of the period. Both teams were called for penalties at the 7:18 mark in the third, as play headed to 4-on-4 for the next two minutes. Rivier recorded four shots on goal, while KSC had a pair over the two minute span, but neither team found the back of the net. Chung made four more saves over the next two minutes, where at the 11:25 mark in the second, Maddie DeSouza was called for a penalty. Over the power play for the Raiders, Chung continued to hold strong, making five saves as the Owls killed the penalty, and three more saves over the three minutes after the penalty ended. With under four minutes remaining in the second, Molly Price and Finke had a 2-on-1 opportunity for KSC as they looked to strike first. Finke passed the puck over to Price and her shot was saved by Symmes, but Ava Iantosca was there for the rebound, as she fired a backhanded shot past Symmes to give KSC a 1-0 lead with 3:36 left in the second. Symmes made two more saves, to just one from Chung the remainder of the period, as the Owls looked to hold onto their lead in the third for the first home win in program history.
 
The Owls looked to add an insurance goal in the beginning of the third period on a power play, but Symmes made a pair of saves to prevent KSC from tacking on another goal. After Symmes saved the second of the two shots on the power play, play went on for 10:05 without a whistle as the teams traded possessions back and forth with Chung making a pair of saves and Symmes making three of her own. As the period went on, KSC was called for a penalty with 2:27 remaining. With 100 seconds left to play, Rivier pulled Symmes and tried to even the game up at one apiece. After Chung made saves on the first four shots since the Raiders had the extra attacker on the ice, she was unable to save the fifth, as they scored the power play goal from Rebecca McKelvey, to tie the game up with 32 seconds remaining on the clock. KSC was unable to net the game-winner as the contest went to overtime for the Owls for the first time on home ice.
 
Henault nearly ended the game 40 seconds into overtime, but Symmes saved her shot and shortly after Briana Paxson was called for tripping for the Raiders to give KSC a 4-on-3 for two minutes. The Owls pestered Symmes in goal with four shots over the power play, but she saved them all to hold KSC off for the moment. While play was still 4-on-4 with 1:15 left to play in the overtime period, Haylee Owen was able to keep the puck in the offensive zone for the Owls. Owen passed it down low to Henault, who tipped it over to Finke in front of the goal and ripped a shot into the back of the net to give KSC a 2-1 win for their first win at home in program history.
 
Inside the Crease

• Rivier outshot the Owls, 37 to 32.
• Chang made 36 saves in net for her second consecutive win, while Symmes made 30 saves in net for the Raiders.
• Owen led the Owls in blocked shots again with five, while Patrick had four.
• Rivier won more faceoffs as they went 33-for-61 (54.1%). Iantosca went 14-for-23 (60.9%), while Henault went 7-for-14 (50%).
• KSC went 0-4 on their power play opportunities, while Rivier went 1-5.

Up Next
Keene State next plays Nichols College, back at Keene ICE on Wednesday, November 20, at 7:15 PM.
Rivier has nearly a week off before their next contest, where they will return to Keene ICE to take on KSC for their third consecutive time, on Friday, November 22, at 7:45 PM.