McCusker's OT goal lifts Seahawks to 3-2 win

MIDDLETWON, R.I. - After having two goals waved-off earlier in the contest, senior captain Sarah McCusker (Havertown, Pa.) finally broke through with the game-winning score on a power play goal just 1:43 into overtime to lift the Salve Regina women's ice hockey to their first-ever victory versus SUNY Potsdam, 3-2. The Seahawks are now 2-0 to start the year, while the Bears fall to 0-1 on the young season.

The Seahawks were led by a two-point performance from senior captain Rachel Porter (Franklin, Mass.) who notched a goal and the game-winning assist on the night. Freshman Danielle Phalon (Stoneham, Mass.) and McCusker each added goals for Salve Regina, while freshman Cheyenne Boyd (Phoenix, Ariz.), junior Monika Borkowski (Ann Arbor, Mich.), and sophomore Sarah Markey (Ashland, Mass.) each dished-out an assist in the win. Senior goaltender Ali Muehlbronner (Glenside, Pa.) was terrific in net, making 21 saves to improve to 2-0 on the year.

The Bears received goals from freshmen Sarah Nelson (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) and Rachel Grefke (Livonia, Mich.), while sophomore Emily Hazelden (Bloomingdale, N.Y.), freshman Katie Marsman (Wantagh, N.Y.), freshman Kristen Domanski (Brooklin, Ontario), and freshman Sally Mooney (New Albany, Ohio) each had a helper in the loss. Junior Dawna Salvarinas (Mississauga, Ontario) was one of the stars of the contest, making a game-high 38 saves to keep the Bears in the match.

The Seahawks dominated play in the opening period, outshooting the Bears 13-3 and notching a pair of goals.

Salve Regina got on the scoreboard in the 10th minute when Boyd delivered a beautiful pass out of her defensive end to Phalon at mid ice who cut to the right dot and blasted a slap shot into the back of the net to put the Seahawks ahead, 1-0. 

The Seahawks were back at it less than five minutes later when Markey took a feed from Borkowski, skated down the right side and then delivered a pass in front of the net where Porter hit a one-timer passed the Potsdam goalkeeper to extend the Seahawk lead to 2-0.

The Bears began to turn the tide in the second frame, outshooting the Seahawks by a 9-5 margin but neither team managed to score in the period. 

Down 2-0 entering the third period, the Bears battled back with a pair of goals in the opening 10:36 of the frame to tie the game at 2-all. Grefke got the scoring started, racing down the right side on a break and lifting a shot up over the goalie's left shoulder to cut the SRU lead in half. Nelson tied the score just over four minutes later, breaking ahead of the pack down the left side and blasting a slap shot into the net.

It appeared the Seahawks had won the game on a power play goal by McCusker in the closing second of the third period, however, the referees conferred and determined that the puck never crossed the line, sending the game into overtime. 

Undeterred, McCusker finished the job just 1:43 into the extra frame, taking a pass from Porter and beating the goalie top shelf with a slap shot to capture the 3-2 victory for the Seahawks. 

The Bears will look to bounce back on Sunday when they travel to face Holy Cross at 1 p.m., while the Seahawks return to the ice next Friday (7 p.m.) when they too will hit the road to battle Holy Cross.