Seahawks and Spartans tie 2-2

RUTLAND, Vt. – The Spartans fought back from a one-goal deficit in the third period to force overtime, but they couldn't find a winner in the extra frame as Castleton and Salve Regina played to a 2-2 draw this afternoon in New England Hockey Conference action at Spartan Arena.

Taylor Steadman and Anna Daniels provided the Spartan goals, while Rachel Bombardier chipped in an assist.Jess Cameron turned in another fantastic performance in net with 32 saves as Castleton moved to 7-0-1 on the season and 5-0-1 in the conference. Salve Regina, meanwhile, moved to 4-2-1 (3-2-1 NEHC) overall after Briana D'Avolio and Cheyenne Boyd scored to help the squad pick up the positive result.

After two straight games without scoring an opening period goal, the Spartans finally found the back of the net in the initial frame when Steadman netted her team-leading sixth goal of the year at the 12:01 mark. The senior forward skated towards the near post before firing a shot on target that Colleen Marcik pushed aside, but Steadman was able to clean up her rebound to put Castleton in front by one. 

Steadman nearly doubled her scoring total for the day eight minutes into the second. Brianna Keats delivered a pass from the crease to Steadman at the far post, and the senior right-winger dribbled in front of net and fired back-to-back shots on goal. However, Marcik came up with a pair of huge, diving saves to maintain Salve Regina's one-goal deficit. 

Just three minutes later, the Seahawks found an equalizer when D'Avolio collected her fifth score of the year. The sophomore forward collected a rebound off Carly Mey's shot that went wide and skated through the crease before slipping a shot just inside the far post to bring the game back to level terms, 1-1.

Salve Regina continued to dominate possession in the frame, and with just 1:27 left in the second, Boyd scored a power play goal to give the visitors their first lead of the game. Shelby Johnson fired a shot that Cameron deflected, and Boyd was there to finish the play with her fifth goal of the year, putting the Seahawks ahead, 2-1.

With just 8:17 left in regulation, Castleton tied the contest after Daniels collected her first goal of the season. The senior forward stole the puck from a Seahawks defender near the boards before skating towards the top of the point and delivered a slap shot that the beat the goalie top shelf to level the score at two all. 

The Spartans had a chance to net the game-winner in the waning seconds of regulation when Lisa Kilroygathered a rebound in the crease, but Marcik made a fantastic save to deny the effort and force the game into overtime. 

Castleton had the momentum and offensive possession in extra frame, outshooting the opposition 8-1. Marcik, however, was unfazed, producing eight of her 40 saves in the overtime period to preserve the 2-2 score line. 

The Spartans outshot the opposition 42-34 in the game while also holding the edge in faceoffs 39-25. Castleton hits the road for a non-conference contest next Tuesday at 7 pm when they travel to New York to square off with the top-ranked Plattsburgh St. Cardinals at Stafford Ice Arena. Salve Regina returns home to take on Endicott on Saturday December 5 at 7 p.m.