GORHAM, Maine – The attack for the Keene State College women's ice hockey team was unable to get going on Friday night at USM Arena as the Owls fell to the University of Southern Maine, 2-0, despite 31 saves in goal by Ai Chung for KSC.

Records

• Keene State: 9-15-0 (6-11-0 LEC)
• Southern Maine 10-13-1 (9-7-1 LEC)

How it Happened


USM was on the attack for most of the opening period as it was not until 9:36 in where the Owls were able to get a shot on goal. In the 9:36 prior, Ai Chung made four saves for the Owls to hold the contest scoreless early on, also thanks to three blocked shots from KSC with one coming from each Tabby Jones, Kenzley Goode, and Mallory Stuart. Over the next few minutes, Chung made three more saves for the Owls, but 14:43 into the contest, Audrey Donahue found the back of the net from a shot from the blue line to put the Huskies up 1-0 with just over five minutes remaining in the first period. With 3:24 remaining in the first, USM had their first power play opportunity of the day, but Chung shut the Huskies down, saving both shots for the Owls on the penalty kill. Chung tacked on another two saves in the final minute of the period to hold USM's lead to 1-0 heading into the first intermission.
 
KSC had just one shot on goal in the entire second period and it came 37 seconds into the period, which Maggie Jones saved for the Huskies. Over the first seven minutes of the second half the Owls' defense helped hold off the Huskies with another block by Tabby Jones to go with a pair of blocked shots by Caroline Demeo, while Chung made three saves in net. Over the next seven minutes, Chung continued to hold strong, making five more saves in net, but the Owls were eventually called for their second penalty of the day for too many skaters on the ice. USM only managed to have one shot on goal, which Chung saved, to kill off the next penalty, while the rest of the second went without scoring opportunities, sending the contest into the third with USM still leading, 1-0.
 
KSC was on the attack early in the first three minutes of the third, but Maggie Jones saved the Owls' three shots on goal to maintain the lead for the Huskies with 17 minutes left to play. At the 3:55 mark in the period, USM found the back of the net again with Caroline Thompson scoring the second goal of the day for the Huskies with plenty of time left on the clock for the Owls to come back, despite just nine shots on goal over the opening 43:55 of the game. Shortly after the Huskies scored their second goal of the day, they had their third powerplay opportunity of the contest, but USM was unable to get a shot on goal, while Maggie Jones was the goalie having to make a save while USM was on the power play. It only took 1:08 for the Owls to be back in the box for another penalty, but after a USM timeout, the Owls held strong with a save from Chung and blocked shots by Goode and Ellie Patrick, KSC killed off their fourth penalty of the day. With 6:25 remaining the Owls had their best opportunity to pull within a goal as USM was called for their first penalty of the day, but KSC was unable to get a shot on frame as the Huskies killed the penalty off, just as the Owls had done four times prior. The rest of the contest the Owls only managed one shot on goal, that Maggie Jones saved, as USM held on to their 2-0 victory on the night.
 
Inside the Crease

• Keene State falls to 0-2 in the all-time series against the Huskies, being outscored 3-0, despite the Owls picking up their first ever win in program history against another team coming against the Huskies, coming in a 6-3 exhibition win last season.
• Chung continued to inch closer to the 1,000 save milestone with her 32 saves as she needs just 34 saves to reach the mark. Maggie Jones totaled 13 saves in net for the Huskies on the day.
• The Owls had seven skaters record a pair of blocks as KSC had 16 blocked shots, compared to 10 from the Huskies.
• USM had the advantage on faceoffs on the day with KSC going 19-for-23 (45.2%) with Patrick leading the Owls, going 10-for-19 (52.6%).

 
Up Next
 
With the defeat, KSC can finish in either the fifth or sixth seed in the LEC tournament as the two teams round out their regular seasons back at USM Arena on Saturday, February 21, at 3:00 PM.