Posted: Jan 23, 2015
Seahawks down Beacons 4-2
Salve Regina
(7-6-1, 6-3-0 ECAC E)
4
Mass.-Boston
(8-5-4, 5-2-2 ECAC E)
2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Salve Regina (7-6-1, 6-3-0 ECAC E) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
|
Mass.-Boston (8-5-4, 5-2-2 ECAC E) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
BOSTON, Mass. – A four-point day by Michaela Chiuccariello (Winchester, Mass.) carried Salve Regina University to their fifth straight win over women's ice hockey as they defeated the Beacons by the final of 4-2 Friday afternoon in an ECAC East contest in the Beacons Ice Arena.
With the victory, the Seahawks improved to 7-6-1 overall, 6-3-0 in the conference. It also marked the fifth consecutive time that Salve Regina has recorded at-least four goals against the Beacons. For UMass they saw their recent win-streak come to an end as they fell to 8-5-4, 5-2-2 in the conference standings.
UMass Boston still holds a half-game lead on the Seahawks in the ECAC East standings with only eight more conference games left in the 2014-15 regular season.
Chiuccariello got her team on the board at 7:27 mark of the opening period to give the Seahawks the early 1-0 lead. The Beacons would respond just over seven minutes later when Kayla Kiernan (North Smithfield, R.I.) scored on the power-play off of a Jenny Currie (Chelmsford, Mass.) and Alexandra Karlis (Parker, Colo.) assist to make it 1-1. Salve entered Friday's match-up with the best penalty kill in the country, having allowed just four power play goals against.
Now even at one goal apiece, the Beacons looked to build off of the Kiernan score as time continued to wind down in the opening period. Unfortunately, Salve would break the tie with 34 seconds left on the power-play when Chiuccariello snuck the puck past Moe Bradley to give the Seahawks a 2-1 lead.
After the break, the Seahawks would own the only goal of the second with Kimberly Spring (Kensington, Conn.) also scoring on the power-play to make it 3-1, with 30+ minutes remaining in the contest. That goal would cap-off a 2-for-2 day for the Seahawks on the power-play.
In the third period, UMass looked to come out firing offensively, but got the wind knocked out of them early as Michelle Holmes (Goffstown, N.H.) scored just 22 seconds into the frame to make it a 3-goal affair.
The Beacons would try to chip away at Salve's lead, but were unable to get anything going. Their best chance of the period came at the midway point when they went on a 5-on-3. However, the Seahawks proved why they have the best PK in the country as they neutralized the Beacons chances, with every one ending up in the pads of Colleen Marcik (Madison, Conn.).
On the day UMass finished 1-for-5 on the man-up opportunities.
Kiernan would own the final goal for UMass with 23 seconds left in regulation, as the Beacons capitalized on the extra forward. Former Salve Regina player Kayla Smith (Woburn, Mass.) assisted on the play, which came just a little too late for UMass.
Marcik finished the win with a combined 34 saves, while UMass Boston's Moe Bradley (Swampscott, Mass.) made 39 stops as she fell to 3-3-3 on the year. Marcik improved to 6-5-1 with the decision.
The Seahawks return to action tomorrow night versus the Panthers of Plymouth State at 8 p.m.It will be the first home game of 2015 for Salve Regina after begining the new year on a five game road trip.