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Mark Selders

Nittany Lions Post 3-3 Tie To Begin 2019-20 Season

Opens in a new window Box Score (PDF)

Box Score (PDF)

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Penn State women's hockey team began its 2019-20 regular season with a 3-3 tie on the road at Holy Cross Friday evening.
 
Penn State (0-0-1) had three different goal scorers in Julie Gough, Natalie Heising, and Shea Nelson. Jenna Brenneman stopped 19 shots in goal.
 
Holy Cross (0-1-1) scored twice in the third period to erase a two-goal deficit and force overtime.
 
Penn State had one of its freshmen get the team off to a quick start in her first career game. Gough netted her first collegiate score just 1:49 into the game.
 
Holy Cross bounced back to tie the game on the power play at 4:02, but Heising soon regained the lead for the Nittany Lions at 8:02 with a helper from Nelson.
 
The second period didn't see any scoring until late in the frame when back-to-back Holy Cross penalties gave the Nittany Lions a 5-on-3 chance that they would capitalize on. Nelson found the back of the net assisted by Brooke Madsen and Izzy Heminger with 52 seconds left to give PSU the 3-1 edge into the second intermission.
 
Holy Cross mounted another comeback to tie the game in the third starting with another power-play score at 4:31. The Crusaders then tied the game at 14:53 on their lone even-strength goal of the night.
 
Penn State registered the only two shots on goal in the scoreless overtime frame.
 
GAME NOTES

  • With her first-period score, Natalie Heising recorded her 57th career point, tying Bella Sutton ('18) for fourth all-time on the program points list.
  • Shea Nelson is currently riding a five-game point streak dating back to March 1, 2019. She has six points (3G, 3A) during the stretch. The multi-point game was the second of her career (Oct. 20, 2018 vs. Providence).
  • Julie Gough finished her collegiate debut with a +2 rating and had four shots, all registered on target.
  • Penn State finished 1-for-3 on the power play while Holy Cross went 2-for-3. The Nittany Lions outshot the Crusaders 43-22 for the game and dominated the face-off circle, winning 38-of-56 draws.
  • Sophie Slattery led Penn State with five shots on target. Katie Rankin won 12-of-14 faceoffs.
  • Penn State played its 27th overtime game dating back to the start of the 2017-18 season, the most overtime games in the nation over that span.
  • The Nittany Lions take on the Crusaders again Saturday evening. Game time is slated for 6:05.