KEENE, N.H. – Looking to get back in the win column after ending 2025 on a four-game losing streak, the Keene State College women's ice hockey team hosted Salem State University on Friday afternoon, but the Owls were unable to pull off the comeback late in the third period as the Lady Vikings defeated the Owls 3-2 on home ice.

Postgame Interview (Coach Morgan)

Records

• Keene State: 4-7 (2-4-0 LEC)
• Salem State: 4-5-1 (3-0-1 MASCAC)

How it Happened


Salem State was on the attack often over the first five minutes of the contest, but the Owls' goaltender, Ai Chung, made a pair of saves and her defense helped her out with Caroline Demeo and the newest member of the program, Erika Hellström, blocking a shot each. KSC had a great scoring opportunity shortly after, but Delaney Cox made three saves over 13 seconds to keep the contest scoreless early. 6:52 into the contest, KSC was called for their first of multiple penalties on the day, but Chung saved the one shot on target over the two-minute span and the Owls' defense blocked two other shots to kill off the penalty. After another save in net for Chung, KSC opened the scoring in the contest soon after as Mallory Stuart send a pass from behind the Owls' net out ahead to Ellie Patrick. Patrick sent a pass ahead to Ava Iantosca, who weaved through SSU's defense and found the back of the net to put the Owls ahead 1-0, 10:38 into the contest. KSC was called for their second penalty of the day 16 seconds after Iantosca's goal, but SSU was unable to take advantage of the opportunity as they were called for a penalty 22 seconds later to send the contest to 4-on-4 for the next 1:38. The Lady Vikings had the edge on the 4-on-4 play as they recorded three shots that Chung saved, while KSC was unable to get a shot on target over the same time frame and while up a skater over the remaining 22 seconds of the SSU penalty. After SSU killed off the remainder of their penalty it was only 20 seconds before the Owls had another power play opportunity, but they were once again unable to capitalize on it as their one shot on goal over the two-minute advantage was saved by Cox. The remaining four minutes of the opening period Chung made three more saves in goal, while Cox made another two and the Owls took their 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
 
Salem State opened the second on a power play opportunity 2:53 into the period, but after Chung saved the only shot on goal over the first 54 seconds of the KSC penalty, SSU was called for another penalty, sending the game to 4-on-4 again, for 1:03. KSC had the edge over the second 4-on-4 opportunity of the day, but Cox saved all three shots on goal over the span, along with two more saves over the 54 seconds where KSC had an extra skater opportunity and the teams returned to 5-on-5 with the Owls up only one. 6:23 into the second KSC was called for their fourth penalty of the game and the Lady Vikings finally capitalized on the opportunity five seconds later as Chung made the initial save on Beau Boudreau's shot and Mikayla Holland's rebound found the back of the net for the first goal of her collegiate career and game-tying goal. KSC tried to tie the game up with three shots over the ensuing 30 seconds, but Emily Edmunds shot hit the posts and then Cox made a pair of saves, but the Owls would get another great opportunity to retake the lead 7:12 into the contest as SSU was called for their fourth penalty of the day. Cox denied the Owls on their power play again with a pair of saves to go with two blocked shots from her defense as they killed the penalty off. Chung bounced back from the goal scored by SSU with three saves over a 30 second span at the halfway point of the period as the Lady Vikings were called for their fifth penalty of the day. The only two shots from the Owls over the advantage saw one from Iantosca hit the post and Cox save the other from Patrick as SSU killed off the penalty for the fifth time of the day. Shortly after, Salem State was on the attack and Chung made a pair of saves but she was screened on a shot from inside the blue line from Kaylyn Ambrosino and the shot found the back of the net as her first career collegiate goal gave SSU a 2-1 lead with 5:54 remaining in the second. Cox made another two saves the remainder of the period as the Lady Vikings took their 2-1 lead into the final period.
 
Each goalie made a save over the opening five minutes of the third period and the Owls had their sixth power play opportunity of the day 5:01 into the third, but for the sixth time in the contest the Owls were unable to capitalize as Cox saved the only shot on goal over the two-minute span. Seven seconds after SSU killed off their penalty for the sixth time of the day, they had their fifth power play opportunity of the game, but Chung saved the two shots that she faced in goal over the advantage to hold the Lady Vikings lead to just one with just over 10 minutes remaining. SSU did not let up yet as the continued to apply the pressure on the attack with 10 shots on goal over a 1:16 span, as Stuart and Demeo each blocked a shot and Chung made eight saves. Both goalies made another two saves over the next few minutes, but it was the Lady Vikings that struck next as a defensive turnover by the Owls gave the puck to Aislinn Bennett, who sent the puck to Emily Schneider to put SSU up a pair with 4:23 remaining in the contest. 1:07 after SSU's third goal of the game the Owls had their seventh power play opportunity of the day. This time the Owls were able to take advantage of the opportunity as it only took 30 seconds for Iantosca to score her second goal of the day on a redirect as Loreli Norman and Brianna Finke picked up assists to bring KSC within a goal with 3:16 remaining on the clock. Cox bounced back and saved the next shot from the Owls a minute later as the time started to run out for the Owls. Chung was pulled for the extra skater with under 90 seconds remaining as Salem State called a timeout to regroup and give their defense a break to try to hold off the last push from KSC. In the final 69 seconds the Owls were able to get off five shots, but none were able to find the back of the net as two shots missed the net, Cox made a save, and her defense helped her out with a pair of blocked shots as Salem State held on for the 3-2 comeback victory over the Owls.
 
Inside the Crease

• Iantosca's two goals are the second time this season she has scored multiple goals in a contest (and the third in her career) as she opened the season with a four-point performance from two goals and two assists in the Owls' 8-1 win over Hilbert College.
• Chung made 30 saves in goal for the Owls, while Cox made 27 saves for Salem State.
• KSC had the slight advantage on faceoffs on the day, going 29-for-54 (53.7%) with Iantosca dominating among the eight different Owls to take a faceoff going 66.7% (18-for-27).
• Both teams scored one power play goal with Salem State going 1-for-5 (20%) and KSC going 1-for-7 (14.3%).
• The Owls nine penalties in the game (two called not resulting in power play opportunities) are the season high for KSC, while the 11 from Salem State( two called not resulting in power play opportunities) are tied for the most for an opponent in KSC program history.

 
Up Next
 
Both teams faceoff again on short rest as they meet on Saturday, January 3, at 2:00 PM at Salem State for their next contests.