Endicott Flies Through Women's Ice Hockey, 4-1

Springfield, Mass. (November 11, 2022) - After a big road win last Saturday against UNE, the Golden Bears returned home to host #11 Endicott College in a CCC matchup. The Gulls were coming off a 3-1 win against Nichols. With both teams sitting at 3-1 records, this game was gearing up to be good.

Records:

• Western New England: 3-2-0 (1-2-0)
• Endicott College: 4-1-0 (3-0-0)

How it Happened:

The game got started with an Endicott faceoff win. The puck then went from side to side with a few shots on net that each goaltender saved. The first goal came 5:41 into the first period. Morgan Sisson passed the puck to Teaghan Hall, who gave it back to Sisson, who skated in toward net, turned, and fired the puck into the back of the net. That goal made the score 1-0. After a few more shots blocked by freshman goalie Kayla Ireland, Endicott would double their lead. With just eight minutes left in the first period, Sydney Fascetta scored. Kellie Popkin got the puck from Devereaux, who was in the corner and sent the puck over to Tara Henshaw. Henshaw sent a shot that Fascetta deflected down and into the back of the net. The score now read 2-0 in favor of Endicott.

WNE tried to pressure Endicott's goalie, Michaela O'Brien, but O'Brien was equal to the task each time the puck was sent toward the goal. Finally, with 1:08 left in the first period, Endicott got their third goal of the game. After a shot blocked in front of the net, Sami Barletta sent a pass over to Catherine Miles. Miles then sent a cross-ice pass over to Madison Hentosh, who deked, skated in a little, and sent the puck past Ireland into the back of the net. The score was three to zero going into the first intermission. Endicott shot the puck 13 times during the period, and WNE had seven shots. 

The second period started with a faceoff win by Maddie Pope and WNE. Endicott added to their lead almost a minute and a half into the second period. After getting the puck on the left side of the WNE net, Madison Hentosh sent a quick pass to Teaghan Hall, who skated in front of the WNE goal and sent a shot to the right side of Ireland and into the net. Endicott led 4-0. WNE got a power play halfway through the second period. They got nine shots off with two shots on net. Both shots that made it to O'Brien were saved. Endicott ended the period with 17 shots, and WNE had nine. It was 4-0 going into the third and final period.

WNE went on the offensive in the third period. It started with a faceoff win by Maddie Pope and the Golden Bears. WNE was on the penalty kill twice during the period. The second PK ended as Alyssa Murphy sent the puck down the ice. The puck bounced off an Endicott player and to Zoe Galanoudis. With the two-on-one advantage, Galanoudis skated in front of the Endicott player and buried the puck in the back of the net while staring down the goalie. The score was now 4-1 with 4:22 left in the game. The game would end with the Golden Bears losing 4-1. Endicott got 21 shots on net in the third period, all saved. WNE had five shots on net in the final period, and one got past O'Brien. The Golden Bears ended the game strong.

Inside the Crease:

• The Golden Bears returned to Olympia Ice Center to host the reigning CCC champions, #11 Endicott.
• The first goal of the game was scored 5:41 into the game. Morgan Sisson scored on the give-and-go assist from Teaghan Hall.
• The second goal came from Sydney Fascetta, who redirected the puck into the net from Tara Henshaw's shot. Kellie Popkin also assisted on that play.
• Endicott scored with just over a minute left in the first period. Madison Hentosh scored and was assisted by Sami Barletta and Catherine Miles on the play.
• Endicott went up 4-0 on a goal early in the second period. Teaghan Hall scored and was assisted on the play by Madison Hentosh.
• WNE denied the shutout with a goal by Zoe Galanoudis, assisted by Alyssa Murphy, with 4:22 left in the game.
• Ireland ended the game with 47 saves, and O'Brien ended with 19.
• WNE's 4-1 loss drops the Golden Bears down to 3-2 on the season.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• The teams will head out to Beverly, Mass. where they will play the second of the home-and-home series at Endicott. That game is Saturday, November 12, at 4:30 pm.