Phalon's hat-trick helps Seahawks to 5-3 victory

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. – Danielle Phalon's (Stoneham, Mass.) hat-trick helps the Salve Regina University women's ice hockey team to a 5-3 victory as the Seahawks scored three unanswered goals to defeat Plymouth State on Saturday.

The Seahawks faced an uphill battle most of the night. The Panthers seemed to always be a step ahead every time the Seahawks fought back. Salve Regina trailed, 1-0 in the first period, then 2-1 and 3-2 in the second before scoring three unanswered to take control of the game.  The Seahawks also held the Panthers to 0-5 on the Power Play despite there being some extended 5-3 or 4-3 opportunities for the Panthers.201

Kelsey Lynch (Collegeville, Pa.) scored for Plymouth State at 3:18 of the first to give the visitors the early lead. Salve Regina responded with a strong offensive push to tilt the ice back in its favor eventually drawing a penalty against Plymouth State. On the power play Taylor Shepherd (Quincy, Mass.) scored at 8:07 on a shot from the point and the game was tied 1-1.

Shortly after the goal the Seahawks went on the power play, but were not able to find the back of the net. Jus after the penalty expired the Seahawks got called for two penalties. Meredith Peppes (Lincoln, R.I.) for a trip at 10:36 and Shepherd for roughing at 11:32 giving the Panthers a 5-3 and a golden opportunity to extend their lead.

The Seahawks however were able to kill off both penalties and in doing so invigorated the team. The Seahawks carried the effort from the penalty kill into the offense and as the result of hard skating were able to draw a penalty against the Panthers. Phalon scored the first of her three goals 13 seconds later and the game was tied 2-2.

Momentum seemed to be swinging in Salve Regina's favor but Courtney Evans (Fairbanks, Ark.) scored a putback goal on a dribbling puck that slipped right in front of Marcik to give the Panthers the lead once again.

Three minutes later Phalon scored on a one-timer set up by Michelle Holmes (Goffstown, N.H.) on a two-on-one break. Holmes raced from the neutral zone down the center of the ice and perfectly saucered a pass across to Phalon who buried the puck to tie the game 3-3 before the end of the second period.

The third period belonged to the Seahawks. Whereas things had gone back and forth all night, the Seahawks dominated the final frame, with tough neutral zone defense, denying the Panthers entry to the attacking zone, and an aggressive fore-check which kept long offensive possessions alive.

Phalon scored again when she ripped a puck off the boards, walked her way into the slot and backhanded a shot straight to the back of the net for the hat-trick and to give the Seahawks their first lead of the night. 

Meredith Peppes added the insurance goal at 12:40 and the Seahawks remained in control the rest of the way en route to their fourth straight victory.

Salve Regina outshot Plymouth State 43-20 including 18-5 in the dominant third period.

With the win the Seahawks improve to 8-6-1 on the season and 7-3 in the ECAC. Salve Regina is also 5-1 in 2015.

Meanwhile the Panthers fall to 3-14-1 and 3-7 in the ECAC. Plymouth next takes the ice on January 30 when the Panthers take on Norwich.

Salve Regina next plays on the road versus Amherst on January 27 at 7 p.m.