Petford scored her team leading 10th and 11th goals of the season. (Photo Credit Mary Gettens).

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. (January 26, 2024) – The Stonehill College women's ice hockey team battled conference rival Sacred Heart University to a thrilling, 2-2, draw Friday night. The Skyhawks move to 13-13-1 overall and 13-7-1 in conference play, while the Pioneers improve to 11-16-1 overall and 10-9-1 against NEWHA opponents.

Highlights

• Sophomore Alexis Petford fueled the Skyhawks offense, tallying a pair of goals off a game-high 11 shots on goal.
• Sophomore trio of Kathryn Karo, Brianna Walkom, and Gracie Sacca as well as first-year forward Peyton Wise recorded assists for the Skyhawks.
• Sophomore goaltender Eve Stone stood tall in net, tallying 27 saves on the night between the pipes for Stonehill.
• Graduate student Cassie Nevers and first-year Grayson Limke scored their sixth and third goals of the season, respectively.
• Sophomore Jillian Petruno posted 40 saves in goal for Sacred Heart, marking her fourth game of the season with 40 or more saves.

How it Happened

• After a slow start to the game with both sides going back and forth, the game would open up over the final 10 minutes of the first period, with scoring chances coming on either end. 
• However, Stonehill and Sacred Heart would play to a scoreless contest after the opening 20 minutes of action. 

  Karo finished with a team-high 16 faceoff wins for the Skyhawks. (Photo Credit Mary Gettens).

• The Pioneers wasted little time applying the offensive pressure to start the second, breaking through with the game's opening score just five minutes into the middle frame as Nevers lit the lamp after sneaking a shot past Stone in goal to get Sacred Heart on the board. 
• Limke doubled Sacred Heart's lead to 2-0 with her third goal of the season at the 16:00 mark of the second period.
• Back-to-back penalties by the Pioneers late in the frame gave the Skyhawks an excellent scoring opportunity with a five-on-three skater advantage. 
• Despite the first of two minor penalties being killed off, Stonehill was able to crack the scoresheet with less than a minute to go in the period as Petford rifled a one-timer shot past Petruno in net to cut the deficit in half heading into the second intermission. 
• Stonehill was able to take the momentum off Petford's late goal in the middle frame and utilize it in the third as the Balgonie, Saskatchewan native netted her second goal of the night in less than three minutes of live game action to tie the game up at two apiece. 
• After Petford scored the game-tying goal just two minutes into the final frame of regulation, both sides would go back and forth again, trading shots and playing to a 2-2 tie at the end of 60 minutes of regulation. 
• The Skyhawks came out strong to start the five-minute overtime period, registering five shots on goal throughout the first minute of action. 
• In the final minute of overtime, Nevers ended up all alone in front of the Stonehill net this time however, it would be Stone coming out on top, flashing the glove and stopping the Pioneer's grade-A scoring chance to hold on and secure the 2-2 draw for the Skyhawks.

Noteworthy

• Stonehill compiled 42 shots on goal throughout the night, marking the third consecutive game where the Skyhawks have reached the 40 shots on goal mark.
• Stonehill won the faceoff battle 42-28 as Karo paved the way winning a team-high 16 draws.
• Petford's 11 shots on goal matches her career-high total which came last time out against Saint Michael's College.
• Petford extended her goal-scoring streak to three games with her lamp lighters against the Pioneers. Over the three-game stretch, the sophomore forward has five goals.
• Sophomore Hannah Squires was honored pregame for her courageous life-saving donation through the NMDP registry and her 2024 Hockey Humanitarian Award nomination. 

Up Next

Stonehill (13-13-1, 13-7-1 NEWHA) wraps up its two-game weekend series against Sacred Heart University on Saturday. Puck drop from the Bridgewater Ice Arena between the Skyhawks and Pioneers is set for 1 p.m.

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