Seahawks, Spartans skate to scoreless tie

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. - Salve Regina University (12-5-4; 7-4-1 ECAC Women's East) women's ice hockey played its sixth 65-minute game this season and settled for its fourth draw of the year, the first-ever scoreless tie in the history of the program (339 games). Castleton State College (11-8-2; 6-4-2 ECAC Women's East) skated in its fourth overtime period of the season and stands at 1-1-2 in extra sessions.

Shots were fairly even in the first period, Salve Regina with a slight 11-10 edge. The Seahawks dominated the next two periods (21-4 and 13-6), but had no lamp-lighters to show for the shot advantage.

Salve Regina had its fourth power-play of the game in at the 2:50 mark in overtime, but only had a 3-2 shot advantage in the extra period.

Junior Michaela Chiuccariello (Winchester, Mass.), who scored a hat trick in Friday night's 8-3 win against New England College, had the most aggressive game with eight shots on goal. Her linemates and classmates - Sarah Markey (Ashland, Mass.) and Taylor Shepherd (Quincy, Mass.) - added seven shots apiece for a 22-shot line total.

Sophomore Spartans Nicoline Jensen (Hellerup, Denmark) and Anna Daniels (Falun, Sweden) led the visitors with four shots on goal each.

Junior goalie Paula Stephens (Seattle, Wash.) stopped all 48 shots in 65 minutes for her second shutout of the season and brought her personal record to 9-6-2. Her freshman counterpart Colleen Marcik (Madison, Conn.) was equally up to the task with 22 saves for her first collegiate shutout in 14 starts (7-3-4).

Salve Regina's six overtime periods equals a single-season mark for the program; the Seahawks also skated 65 minutes on six occasions in 2012 (most ties ever - five) and 2010 (two OT victories).

Castleton hosts University of Southern Maine and Plymouth State University next weekend while Salve Regina skates at St. Anselm (an overtime loss on Nov. 22) and at UMass Boston (a 4-1 win on Nov. 23).