Pope's Hat Trick Edges WNE Past Nichols in OT Nail-Biter

Harrisville, R.I. (December 2, 2022) - The Golden Bears returned to action after the Thanksgiving break to take on Nichols College at Levy Rink in Rhode Island. Both teams had their offenses clicking as they totaled 11 goals between both teams. The teams battled for three periods and then had to battle in overtime to determine a winner as Maddie Pope would come away with Western New England Women's Ice Hockey's second hat trick in program history, winning 6-5 over the Bison on Friday night. 

Records:

• Western New England: 6-2-2 (3-2-2)

• Nichols College: 1-6-1 (0-5-0)

How it Happened:

The game started with a Maggie Holt faceoff win. The two teams battled early in the game, getting multiple shots on net. However, WNE goalie Rieley Jessie-Gerelli and Nichols goalie Victoria Bakopanos made saves to keep their squads in the game early. With more than nine minutes left in the first half, WNE's pressure on goal succeeded as Katie Cronin would get the game's opening goal. Nichols attempted to clear the puck, and after getting it out of their immediate zone, the puck was turned over to Cronin, who skated into Bison territory on the right side of the net, and wristed a shot that got past Bakopanos to give the Golden Bears a 1-0 lead in the first period. The first period ended with a 1-0 scoreline. Both teams got eight shots on net during that period, and WNE was able to come out of the first period with a 1-0 lead. 

The second period was an exciting one. It started with another Maggie Holt faceoff win. Soon after, Nichols got the equalizer. After the puck bounced around the WNE zone, Melissa Montesi was able to poke the puck to Lauren Rokala at the top right part of the WNE zone. Rokala sent a hard shot past Jessie-Gerelli, and the score was tied just like that. However, it would not take long for the Golden Bears to reclaim the lead. Only two minutes and eight seconds later, Abby Hay netted the goal that put WNE up 2-1. After Bakopanos blocked multiple shots, the Golden Bears set up their offense in the Bison zone. Gianna Fortunato sent a wrist shot at the net that was saved; the puck was poked from Allison Walker to Abby Hay in front of the net, who slotted it home past Bakopanos.

A gritty team goal that saw most of the women on the ice involved. However, like the last goal lead, the Bison were able to strike back relatively quickly. Almost three minutes after the WNE goal, Grace Wiggett capitalized on the opportunity and tied the game up at two goals per side. After keeping the puck in the WNE zone, Katherine Segala sent a quick pass to Megan Buxton, who tried to get it past Jessie-Gerelli, but the puck found its way to Wiggett, who sent a quick wrist shot past the near side of Jessie-Gerelli. It was a quick goal that kept the second period interesting. The scoring settled down for a little while until, with under three and a half minutes left in the period, Nichols took their first lead of the game. WNE could not clean the puck from their zone.

Kaci Johnson got in front of the clearance attempt and skated around the defenders to the right of Jessie-Gerelli. With a skater to the left, Johnson looked that way and then focused in on net and put the puck right past Jessie-Gerelli. The score was 3-2 with Nichols in front. However, it took only a short time for WNE to even it up. Nichols lost the puck around mid-ice; Alexa Paoli pushed the puck to Maddie Pope, who skated down the right side of the ice and sent a wrist shot past Bakopanos for her first goal of the night and the third for the Golden Bears. That made the score 3-3 going into the second intermission. Nichols had 14 shots on goal, with 11 of them being saved. WNE had 11 shots on goal, with nine of them being saved. It was a crazy second period, with more in the third.

The third period started with a Nichols faceoff win. Then, 7:34 into the third period, the Bison struck and went up one goal. Montesi sent a wrist shot toward the net. It deflected off Wiggett's stick to Buxton, who sent the puck traveling past Jessie-Gerelli. WNE did not back down, though. Right away, Emma Birmingham sent a shot off the pipe. Then, less than three minutes after the Nichols goal, the Pope/Murphy connection resulted in a goal once again. Maddie Pope picked up the puck in WNE's zone, skated down the right side of the ice, and had a 2-on-1 situation.

Pope sent a pass to Alyssa Murphy, who sent it back to Pope, who sent the puck into the back of the net. The game was now tied, 4-4. A Bison penalty followed up that goal. The Golden Bears capitalized on the penalty and scored a power-play goal with 8:36 left in the third period. WNE won the faceoff, and Maddy Tucker sent a pass to Murphy to set up the power play offense. Murphy sent it back to Tucker, who sent a shot on net. It deflected off Holt and into the back of the net for a WNE goal. The Golden Bears now led 5-4. As the third period neared an end, Nichols showed fight, and that fight paid off when Montesi gained possession in WNE's zone and sent a pass to Sydney Royce, who shot at the net. Melanson tipped the puck down and into the net to tie the game at five goals per side. That goal sent the game to overtime. WNE had 11 shots on net during the third period to Nichols' nine. 

It did not take long for the Golden Bears to respond to the equalizing goal. After Holt won the faceoff, WNE took possession, and after skating into Bison territory, Holt found Tucker, who sent a long pass across the zone to Maddie Pope. Pope switched the puck from forehand to backhand while skating past the goalie and then quickly sent the puck into the net. The Golden Bears scored and won 6-5, thanks to a Maddie Pope hat trick!

Inside the Crease:

• The Golden Bears headed east for a dual with the Bison of Nichols College.

• Katie Cronin scored the first goal of the game 10:41 into the first period to make the game 1-0.

• Lauren Rokala answered with a goal 1:25 into the second period to even the score at one per side.

• Abby Hay answered for the Golden Bears off assists from Gianna Fortunato and Allison Walker. WNE led 2-1.

• Grace Wiggett and Kaci Johnson answered that goal to make the score 3-2. Katherine Segalla and Megan Buxton assisted Wiggett on that goal.

• Maddie Pope evened the score in the third period, 3-3.

• Megan Buxton scored 7:34 into the third period to give the Bison a 4-3 lead. Melissa Montesi and Grace Wiggett assisted.

• Maddie Pope scored on a give-and-go with Alyssa Murphy to even the game up at 4-4.

• Maggie Holt scored a power-play goal off Murphy, and Tucker assists to put WNE up 5-4.

• Grace Melanson then scored with 1:17 left to send the game to overtime at five goals per side.

• Maddie Pope ended the game in overtime with her third goal of the night. WNE won 6-5.

• Rieley Jessie-Gerelli made 26 saves and Victoria Bakopanos made 25.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• The two teams will square off again on Saturday, December 3, at 7:00 pm. That game will be at the Olympia Ice Center as WNE hosts Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night.