Championship Preview: No. 4 Salve Regina travels to No. 1 Endicott

FEBRUARY 29 | 4 p.m. RAYMOND J. BOURQUE ARENA • BEVERLY, MASS.
ENDICOTT GULLS (23-2-0, 16-0-0 CHC)	SALVE REGINA SEAHAWKS (7-16-3, 3-11-2 CHC)
SERIES Gulls lead 9-0-2 LIVE STATS http://www.ecgulls.com/ LIVE VIDEO Click here DIRECTIONS Click here
CHAMPIONSHIP INFO

NEWPORT, R.I. - The Salve Regina University women's ice hockey team earned the No. 4 seed in the Colonial Hockey Conference (CHC) Championships and, after defeating No. 5 Becker College, travels to face No. 1 Endicott College in the semifinals

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MARSHFIELD, MASS. - After posting a perfect 16-0-0 mark in Colonial Hockey Conference (CHC) regular season play, Endicott College earned the number one overall seed in the 2020 CHC postseason and will host a semifinal game on Saturday, February 29.

The Gulls will face the winner of the first round matchup between Salve Regina University (3-11-2) and Becker College (2-11-2) which is scheduled for Wednesday evening in Newport, R.I.

University of New England (10-4-2) will host Nichols College (5-9-2) in the other semifinal matchhup on Saturday.

LAST TIME OUT
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (February 26, 2020) - Salve Regina University junior defenseman Suzi Pearson (York, England) grabbed a loose puck off a face off and pushed it toward Becker College freshman netminder Madelyn Morgan (Riverside, Calif.), who had a stellar game with 48 saves in over 81 minutes, and the puck trickled through for the game-winner, 3-2, in second overtime. 

MORE READING: Pearson pushes Seahawks to 3-2 victory in second overtime

SEAHAWKS NOTES FROM THE NEST

• This is the 14th straight season the Seahawks have been in the postseason and second competing in the CHC.
• Salve Regina reach the semifinals for the first time since the 2014-15 season.
• The Seahawks last made a conference final in 2009.
• Salve Regina's top three scorers are defensemen.
  • Amanda Fantasia (9g-12a-21p) named an All-CHC second team defensemen ranks 7th in scoring and 1st in defensemen scoring for the CHC. Nationally she is ranked 11th in points per game for defensemen.
  • Maddie Cox (6g-7a-13p) named to the All-CHC rookie team ranks 4th in the CHC in defensemen scoring.
  • Suzi Pearson (5g-9a-14p) ranks 3rd in the CHC in defensemen scoring.
  • Only six schools in the nation have three or more defensemen in the top 50 for points per game for defense; Elmira, Nazareth, Oswego, Plattsburg, Salve Regina, and Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
• Madison Jalbert made the second most saves in the CHC (673) and ranks 15th in the nation in saves.
• Salve Regina is unbeaten in its last six games (3-0-3).

GULLS NOTES

• Endicott will look to make their fifth straight appearance in the CHC final, while Salve Regina will look to make their first appearance. 
• The Gulls lost their first three appearences in the conference final before winning the CHC last season. Three of the four CHC championships have gone to overtime.
• Jade Meier (Fairbanks, Alaska), Alyssa Peterson (Cranberry Township, Pa.) and head coach Andrew McPhee headlined the group of CHC major award winners. Meier was named Player of the Year, Peterson earned Goaltender of the Year honors, and McPhee received Coach of the Year laurels.
• Endicott also saw Jillian Gibbs (Burlington Vt.), Madison Huber (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Meier, and Peterson named to the All-CHC First Team.
• Furthermore, Michaela McNamara (Warwick, R.I.), Courtney Sullivan (North Yarmouth, Maine), and Lauren Ferraiuolo (North Haven, Conn.) earned All-CHC Second Team honors, while Kaylee Liberty (Arlington Heights, Ill.) and Madison Hentosh (Peabody, Mass.) were named to the CHC All-Rookie team.

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Endicott holds a 9-0-2 advantage over Salve Regina in the all-time series. The Gulls won all four regular season contests between the two sides. 
• This will be the first playoff matchup between the two sides. 
• Endicott and Salve Regina enter Saturday's contest as the top two power play teams in the CHC. The Gulls rank No. 1 with the man advantage (31 G, 31.0%), while the Seahawks rank No. 2 (19 G, 16.4%).  
• The Gulls are 13-1-0 this season at Raymond J. Bourque Arena, while Salve Regina is 2-10-1 on the road. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
The winner between Endicott and Salve Regina will face the winner of the University of New England and Nichols in the CHC Championship game on Saturday, March 7 at the highest remaining seed (time TBD).