UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's hockey team reached several individual milestones in a solid team win after knocking off College Hockey America (CHA) foe RIT 3-0 Friday evening at Pegula Ice Arena.
Freshmen Mikayla Lantto and Mallory Uihlein each scored their first collegiate goals and junior Natalie Heising set the program record for career power-play goals with her 15th.
Junior goaltender Chantal Burke also recorded her fourth shutout of the season behind 21 saves. Her four shutouts already ties a program single-season high.
Anna Promersberger tallied her first point of the season on an assist, while Morgan Rolph, Izzy Heminger, and Katie Rankin also picked up helpers for the game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Nittany Lions did a solid job limiting RIT's opportunities in the first period. The Tigers' best chance came when Rachel Goff got behind the Nittany Lion defense, but Morgan Rolph lifted her stick from behind to prevent a clean shot on Chantal Burke.
With time winding down in the first period, the Nittany Lions went to work in the offensive zone and were rewarded for their efforts. Anna Promersberger passed to Rolph at the point who ripped a shot on goal. After an initial kick save, Lantto put in the rebound for her first of the season and put PSU up one with just 36 left in the first period.
The Nittany Lions had to kill two early penalties in the second period. They not only successfully stopped both Tiger power plays, but they extended their lead thanks to an unassisted shorthanded goal from Mallory Uihlein. She collected the loose puck in the neutral zone, weaved her way through the RIT defense, and sniped a wrist shot in the upper corner with 13:20 to play in the period.
Penn State added its third goal at the 11:14 mark on the power play. After a RIT body-checking penalty, Natalie Heising scored from the left circle, her fourth goal of the season. Izzy Heminger and Katie Rankin had assists on the play and RIT pulled starting goaltender Jessi O'Leary for Terra Lanteigne after the goal.
The Nittany Lions suffocated the RIT offense in the third period, allowing only four shots on goal by the opposition. RIT pulled Lanteigne from goal with four and a half minutes remaining looking for a spark, but the Nittany Lions ended up drawing a penalty to put themselves on the power play and forced Lanteigne back in goal.
The Tigers pulled Lanteigne again with 1:23 left, but the Nittany Lions allowed just one shot in the waning seconds that Burke stopped easily.
GAME NOTES
- Heising passed Laura Bowman ('17) with her second-period power-play goal, which was also her first power-play goal of the season.
- Lantto's first career goal was also her first career point with the Nittany Lions.
- Uihlein's shorthanded goal was Penn State's second of the season after Brooke Madsen scored shorthanded Oct. 25 against Boston. She is now tied for the CHA lead among freshman skaters with eight points (1G, 7A), tied with RIT's Rachel Goff.
- Burke tied Jenna Brenneman and Celine Whitlinger ('16) with her fourth shutout of the season which also ties the current national lead.
- Izzy Heminger ranks sixth in program history among defenders in points with 19.
- Penn State outshot the Tigers 39-21 and won the face-off battle 30-26.
- Amy Dobson led the Nittany Lions with six shots on goal. Morgan Rolph led the team with three blocked shots.
- The Nittany Lions and Tigers finish their series tomorrow at 3 p.m.