UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – It was yet another one-goal game for the Penn State women's hockey team Friday night, but the Nittany Lion's first win of the new season evaded them once again as No. 7/8 Boston College won 2-1 at Pegula Ice Arena to close the series.
Penn State's (0-3-1) Natalie Heising (Wayzata, Minn.) netted the first goal of the game in the first period, but BC (2-0-0) bounced back with the tying goal in the first and the eventual game-winner in the second.
BC's Abigail Levy had another great performance in goal with 33 saves as Penn State doubled BC's shot total 34-17. Josie Bothun (Wyoming, Minn.) may have had only 15 saves, but several were to stop good chances by the Eagles, especially in the second period, to keep Penn State within striking distance.
"We threw the kitchen sink at them in the third period," said Penn State Jeff Kampersal. "It was like they had six goalies in net there…It seemed like there was an invisible force shield in the net. Their goalie played amazing. She won both of those games for them."
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Nittany Lions started off hot with the game's first goal 4:03 in. Olivia Wallin (Oakville, Ontario) created a turnover in the BC end on the forecheck, which allowed Kiara Zanon (Fairport, N.Y.) to gather control of the puck and find Heising in the slot for the quick snap-shot goal.
Heising's 99th-career point gave PSU the 1-0 edge early in the period, but BC found a response four minutes later to tie the game. Caroline Goffredo finished the play after a very similar looking forecheck that Penn State had on its goal to knot the game 1-1 with 11:56 to play in the first.
BC took the lead in the second period thanks to a highlight-reel goal by Hannah Bilka. Her wrist shot on a 1-on-1 rush glanced off the post and in to put BC in front 2-1 with 11:48 to play in the period.
Penn State's defense came up big with two penalty kills late in the second period to keep the game within striking distance.
In the third period, the Nittany Lions had some of their best scoring chances of the game, including one shift that PSU had seven shot attempts in less than a minute of game action, but Levy stopped four shots for BC with the defense blocking two more and one shot going wide.
Another great chance to tie the game for the Nittany Lions came with just under four minutes left to play when BC went to the peanlty box again. PSU pulled Bothun in the waning seconds of the power play for an extra skater for the rest of regulation but BC's defense held strong to secure the road win.
GAME NOTES AND STATS
- Penn State had a 71-42 shot advantage for the series and have still outshot every opponent played.
- The line of Heising-Zanon-Wallin finished the evening with 10 shots on goal collectively.
- Heising needs just one point to become the third Nittany Lion to have 100 career points, joining Amy Petersen and Laura Bowman.
- Rene Gangarosa (Rochester, N.Y.) led the Nittany Lions with six shots on goal.
- Penn State' penalty kill finished 4-for-4 on the evening while its power play went 0-4 with four shots on target.
NEXT UP
The Nittany Lions complete their season-opening six-game homestand with another nonconference series against Holy Cross next Friday and Saturday, Oct. 8-9.