BOSTON, Mass. – The Penn State women's hockey team started its second half of the regular season with a 1-1 tie against Boston University at Walter Brown Arena Sunday afternoon.
After two scoreless period, Izzy Heminger scored on the power play to give the Nittany Lions the initial lead in the third period.
Sammy Davis tied the game for the Terriers later in the frame
Jenna Brenneman made 23 saves, including 18 over the final 45 minutes. Corinne Schroeder had 20 stops for BU.
Penn State's record moved to 7-9-3 with a 5-3-3 mark in nonconference play.
Boston is now 8-4-5 overall.
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st Period
- Penn State appeared to score the game's first goal at 4:14 when Heminger's shot from the point found the back of the net, but after review, the officials called the goal off due to goaltender interference.
- The Nittany Lions successfully killed Boston's first power play of the game halfway through the period.
- Penn State held a 7-5 shots on goal advantage after 20 minutes.
2nd Period
- Nittany Lions thwarted BU's second power play try of the game between 6:53-8:53.
- Natalie Heising flipped a puck over the BU defense that Katie McMillan tried to chase down before being tripped. Penn State was unable to convert on the ensuing power play.
- Another power play chance went to the Terriers with 31 seconds remaining that carried over in to the next period.
3rd Period
- The Nittany Lions killed off the remaining 1:29 on Heminger's penalty and then got rewarded with a power play shortly after on a tripping call against the Terriers.
- Heminger came back out on to the ice for the power play and blasted a shot from the point for her third goal of the season to give Penn State the 1-0 lead. The play was initiated after Natalie Heising and Katie Rankin pinned the puck behind the BU net. Heminger intercepted the Terriers' clearing attempt and put her shot on target.
- Shortly after the fourth successful penalty kill for Penn State, Boston broke through to tie the game at one after Sammy Davis willed home a shot from just in front of the net at 9:25.
- Boston put a flurry of shots on Brenneman late in the third, but she and the rest of the Penn State defense did enough to keep the Terriers from scoring the go-ahead goal and forced overtime.
Overtime
- The Nittany Lions nearly scored on a scramble in front of Schroeder early in overtime. Meike Meilleur threw puck toward the goal and Abby Welch was close by looking for the loose puck.
- Brenneman made her biggest save of the game on Kristina Schuler who had a breakaway chance with 1:17 remaining in OT.
- McMillan nearly scored on a wrist shot through a screen late in the final minute, but Schroeder stretched to her left to make the save on what proved to be Penn State's last scoring chance for the game.
GAME NOTES
- Heminger has now scored seven points (3G, 4A) over her last seven games.
- Penn State blocked 25 shots, its highest team total of the season. Kate Rydland led the way with five blocked shots.
- The Nittany Lions extended its power play goal scoring streak to four-straight games. They are Is 4-for-13 (30.8%) over that span on the advantage.
- Penn State's penalty kill went a perfect 4-for-4 and improved to 54-for-63 (85.7%) this season, tops in College Hockey America.
- The Nittany Lions will complete their nonconference series with the Terriers tomorrow at 1:05.
COACH KAMPERSAL
- "I thought after the long break, our kids played really well. With the exception of a short flurry by BU, I thought we controlled the game for the most part."
- "We were able to play four lines today which I thought was very good for us. We had great goaltending and a lot of key blocked shots which helped a lot. It was just a really solid team effort."
- "We're obviously a bit disappointed with not winning, but we'll take the tie and try again tomorrow. BU is a good team and we'll take the outcome."
- "I'd like to say thanks for the big Penn State crowd at the game today. Hearing the 'We Are!' chants in that rink was a nice surprise."