DURHAM, N.H. – The Penn State women's hockey team picked up its second shutout in a row to conclude the 2021 calendar year with another 3-0 shutout of New Hampshire Friday, Dec. 10, at the Whittemore Center.
With the win, Penn State improves to 10-6-2 and are winners of three of its last four entering its three-week holiday break.
After becoming the program's all-time wins leader Thursday night, sophomore Josie Bothun (Wyoming, Minn.) set another new Penn State record with her eighth-career shutout behind 22 saves on Friday.
Nittany Lion goal scorers included Alyssa Machado's (Mississauga, Ontario) fourth goal of season on power play in the first period, Mikayla Lantto's (Wasilla, Alaska) first goal of season in the second period, and an empty-net goal by Kiara Zanon (Fairport, N.Y.) late in the third to cap the win over the Wildcats (6-10-2).
HOW IT HAPPENED
Penn State's first power play of the series proved to be fruitful for the Nittany Lions as it got them on the board first at 6:27 in the first period. With time winding down on the advantage, Machado had the puck down below the goal line and ripped the puck towards the crease from a tough angle.
Her shot managed to sneak through the arms of the goaltender and over the line to put Penn State ahead 1-0.
The Nittany Lions faced a five-minute disadvantage later in the period after a major penalty was given to Lyndie Lobdell (Aurora, Ill.), but Penn State managed to keep the Wildcats off the board and took the one-goal lead to the first break.
The Blue & White doubled its lead in the second period thanks to a good second effort by Lantto. After her initial scoring chance on a zone rush was stopped, Lantto kept with the play and crashed the crease for an easy tap in goal at the 10:44 mark in the second period to make it 2-0 Nittany Lions.
Throughout the game, Penn State made it very difficult for UNH to create any kind of extended offensive zone pressure. Bothun coolly made the saves she needed to in the frame to keep New Hampshire off the board.
With just under three minutes left, the Wildcats gambled with the extra attacker trailing by two, but Zanon scooped up a loose puck in the neutral zone and scored on the empty cage to seal the 3-0 victory.
NEXT UP
The Nittany Lions will head to Pittsburgh Jan. 1-2 to play in the Battle of the Burgh at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. Penn State will face St. Cloud State in the opening game of the four-team tournament on New Year's Day.
