KEENE, N.H. – The Keene State College bounced back after a tough weekend against the eighth ranked Norwich University last weekend with a win back on home ice on Friday night as the Owls defeated New England College, 3-1, with three different goal scorers and Ai Chung making 40 saves in net for the victory.

Records

• Keene State: 7-10 (4-7-0 LEC)
• New England College: 5-12-0 (4-7-0 LEC)

How it Happened


Neither team found the back of the net across the first 20 minutes of action, despite the eight penalties called. Both goalies made a pair of saves over the first five minutes of the contest, as NEC was called for their first penalty of the day shortly after. Anna McGinty saved the only shot on goal from KSC over the two-minute advantage and the next three shots from KSC in the following ensuing minutes to keep the contest scoreless halfway through the first. After Chung made a pair of saves again for KSC, both teams were called for a penalty sending the contest to 4-on-4, but both goaltenders made two saves apiece again as they killed the penalties off with eight minutes remaining in the first. 11 seconds after the 4-on-4 ended, NEC was called for their third penalty of the game, but McGinty made three more saves over the span to keep KSC off the board. Following McGinty making four more saves over the following four minutes, before NEC was called for their fourth penalty of the game with two minutes remaining in the period. The penalties in the first did not stop there though, as KSC was called for another penalty 42 seconds later, and 44 seconds after that, a double-minor was called on NEC, giving KSC a 4-on-3 advantage the remainder of the period. McGinty saved the two shots from KSC the rest of the period, sending the game into the second period for 4-on-4.
 
McGinty continued to hold strong for NEC to open the second, making two more saves in the 4-on-4 action and two more while KSC had the skater advantage to keep the contest scoreless three minutes into the period. 3:50 into the second the Owls finally found the back of the net as Ellie Patrick knocked the puck loose in the neutral zone where Caroline Demeo collected the puck, flying into the Pilgrims' defensive half. As Demeo reached the goal line, she sent a pass across the crease to Loreli Norman and after deflecting off a defender's skate, she buried it into the back of the net to put the Owls ahead. 27 seconds after the Owls' goal, KSC was called for their first of three eventual too many skater penalties of the day, but NEC was unable to capitalize on the opportunity long as 30 seconds into the advantage, they were once again called for a penalty. Both goalies made a pair of saves as the teams killed the penalties off and soon after the penalties were killed off, Chung made three more saves in net to hold the Pilgrims off for the moment. NEC was called for yet another penalty shortly after, but McGinty's four saves killed it off, just for the Pilgrims to go on the PK a minute later once again as the second reached past the halfway point. 30 seconds into the PP opportunity for KSC, NEC had a breakaway opportunity, but Patrick came from behind and help keep stop the opportunity, but not without a penalty as it was her turn to go to the box for KSC with a hooking call, sending the game to 4-on-4 with 8:25 remaining in the second. In the 4-on-4 action, Chung made a pair of saves and the Owls' defense locked down with Norman blocking a shot and Mallory Stuart blocking a pair to kill Patrick's penalty off. The remaining 6:35 of the second was all NEC as they were constantly on the attack, but Chung and the Owls' defense continued to hold them off. After Chung made four saves over three minutes of full-strength action, KSC was called for their second too many skaters penalty, followed by another penalty 35 seconds later to send the game to 5-on-3 favoring the Pilgrims. Chung shut them down the remainder of the period with four more saves, maintaining the Owls' 1-0 lead heading into the second intermission.
 
47 seconds into the third the Owls were called for their third too many skaters penalty of the day and it costed them this time as Isabella Marzano found the back of the net on a rebound to tie the game up at one apiece, 2:21 into the period. The tied game did not last long as following a faceoff win in the Owls' defensive zone from NEC, Emerson Spinale intercepted a pass and took it all the way, chipping it past McGinty's left shoulder for the eventual game-winning goal, only 50 seconds after the tying goal, to put the Owls back ahead. KSC's defense bounced back over the next five minutes to preserve the new lead with Chung making three saves and blocks from Ava Iantosca, Emma McNeil, and Kenzley Goode. 8:10 into the third, KSC was called for a penalty, giving NEC the perfect opportunity to score to tie the game up, but following five saves from Chung, it was the Owls that would up scoring over the two-minute advantage for the Pilgrims. Following a faceoff win from Iantosca in the Owls' offensive zone, Brianna Finke scored on her rebound to put the Owls up 3-1 with 10:07 remaining in the contest. The Owls' defense continued to hold strong as Chung made another six saves to go with a blocked shot from each Norman and Patrick over the next eight minutes as the contest started to wind down for the Owls ahead by a pair. In the final two minutes, NEC did not even have a chance to pull McGinty as the Owls applied pressure on the attack. Iantosca and Finke were both unable to put the final nail in the coffin as they each hit the pipe in the closing minutes, but the damage was already done as KSC was back in the win column with the 3-1 victory on the day.
 
Inside the Crease

• Keene State avenges their overtime defeat to NEC earlier in the season to move the all-time series to 3-1 in the Owls' favor.
• Norman's goal was the second of her career, with both coming since the new year, while Spinale's goal was her second across the past four games for KSC.
• Chung made 40 saves in net for the Owls as she continues her pace for reaching the 1,000 career save mark in her sophomore season.
• Both teams finished with 12 blocked shots apiece, with Patrick once again leading the Owls with three blocked shots, while Norman and Mallory Stuart had two apiece.
• NEC had the edge on faceoffs on the day as KSC went 25-for-56 (44.6%), despite Iantosca leading the Owls going 14-for-25 (56%).

 
Up Next
 
Both teams return to Keene Ice for their next contest on short rest as the two teams play again on Saturday, January 24 at 5:30 PM for the Owls' "Owls4Owls" game.