UNIVERSITY PARK, Pennsylvania – The Penn State women's hockey team earned a second-consecutive draw to conclude its home schedule at Pegula Ice Arena with a 2-2 tie against Mercyhurst Saturday afternoon.
Katie Rankin scored on the power play in the second period for Penn State (10-12-8, 4-8-4) while Natalie Heising tied the game in the final moments of regulation to send the game to overtime.
Mercyhurst's record moved to 12-12-5 overall and 9-5-2 in CHA play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Period
- Mercyhurst got on the board first with a goal just 1:17 into the game. Michele Robillard scored from down near the goal line with assists to Sarah Hine and Summer-Rae Dobson.
- The Nittany Lions had a power play at 11:47 and registered a pair of shots on net but did not score.
- Both teams played 4-on-4 for 1:54 late in the period but the extra ice did not result in scores for either team.
- Shots on goal in the period: Mercyhurst 7, Penn State 5
- Score at end of period: Mercyhurst 1, Penn State 0
Second Period
- The second period saw six total power plays with an even 3-3 split for both teams. Penn State was finally broke through on the third power play of the period with the game-tying score.
- Jessica Adolfsson took a shot from the point and Rankin was able to come up with the redirect in front for her fifth power-play goal of the season. Kelsey Crow also picked up an assist on the play.
- Both teams had four shots on the power play in the period, though the Nittany Lions had a significant advantage at even strength with nine shots on target to Mercyhurst's three.
- Shots on goal in the period: Penn State 15, Mercyhurst 7
- Score at end of period: Penn State 1, Mercyhurst 1
Third Period
- The third period was stagnant until there was about 7:30 minutes in regulation. Penn State took a penalty, but Natalie Heising had a shorthanded rush and was tripped up and awarded a penalty shot. Her try was saved by Kennedy Blair.
- Moments later, a scrum ensued in front of the Penn State goal and PSU goaltender Jenna Brenneman was given a five-minute major for contact to the head and a game misconduct. In addition, there was one coincidental roughing minor each handed out to both teams.
- After the dust settled, Mercyhurst was given a 5-on-3 power play and Dobson scored on the newly inserted Cam Leonard to take a 2-1 lead at 14:15.
- Penn State ended up pulling Leonard for the extra attacker with 51 seconds left.
- Heising took puck from the neutral zone and sped into the offensive end. She flung the puck towards goal and it deflected into the air. A Mercyhrust defender tried to bat it out of the air but it bounced off her and into the net for the tying goal with just 39 seconds remaining.
- Shots on goal in the period: Penn State 6, Mercyhust 6
- Score at end of period: Penn State 2, Mercyhurst 2
Overtime
- In overtime, both teams had a chance on the power play but couldn't convert.
- Penn State had the last five shot attempts of the overtime, but the Lakers held on just enough to force a second consecutive tie.
- Shots on goal for overtime: Penn State 3, Mercyhurst 3
- Final Score: Penn State 2, Mercyhurst 2
GAME NOTES
- Rankin's power-play goal was her team-leading fifth of the season. She now has eight career goals on the advantage and 13 overall.
- The official attendance of the game was 1,097, marking the seventh largest women's hockey crowd in Pegula Ice Arena history.
- Heising's 13 goals ranks third among all CHA players.
- Penn State finished 1-for-6 on the power play with six shot attempts. Mercyhurst converted on 1-of-7 advantages with nine shots on goal.
NEXT UP
The Nittany Lions play the first two of four road game to conclude the regular season in Rochester against RIT Feb. 22-23.