Richard records hat trick, catapults Seahawks to 4-2 victory over Bison

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (Thursday, January 25, 2024)-- Women's ice hockey overcame an early 2-0 deficit for a 4-0 win over the Nichols College Bison, earning another Commonwealth Coast Conference win to add to their accomplishments. Freshman Gina Richard was the first to score and totaled three goals in the contest for a hat trick while freshman Emily Wroblewski netted the team's game winning goal. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Salve Regina 4, Nichols 2
Records: Salve Regina (9-7-3, 6-5-1 CCC), Nichols (7-11-0, 1-11-0 CCC)
All-Time Series: Women's ice hockey is 23-9-3 all-time against Nichols. The last time they met up on Saturday, February 18, 2023, Salve Regina came out on top, 3-1. 

BREAKDOWN: 

• Period I: The Bison settled right into the contest after having only made the short trip from Dudley, Massachusetts. Nichols kept the game lively, swatting the puck out of the Seahawks' talons. The Bison were the first to score at 4:36 into the period. Nichols' Avery Moriarty skated left of Salve Regina's net and from the faceoff circle made a slap shot, sending the puck sailing above Kopecky's shoulder. The Bison followed up their first success with another goal at 18:41 into the period. From just beyond the faceoff dots, Cela MacDougall snaped the puck into the air and it flew into the top cross bar and bounced into the Seahawks' net. The Bison entered the first intermission ahead 2-0. 
• Period II: In a turn of events the Seahawks posted the next two goals of the evening, for a tied game with 20 minutes left to play. Gina Richard achieved both of Salve Regina's goals in the second period. Richard's first goal came in with just one minute of play gone (from Caroline Pekkala). The puck sailed of Richard's stick into the high, left side of the net, past Bison goalie McKenzie Muir. On the second occasion Richard bounced the puck off the goalie's pads and took the opportunity to get closer to the net and poke it in (from Riley Esposito and Emma Pereira) for a 2-2 game. 
• Period III: Everyone including fans anticipated the game would move to a 3-3, five-minute overtime period after ten minutes ticked down and still no one emerged on top. However, for the game winning goal Emily Wroblewsk bumped Salve Regina forward with a goal resulting from a loose puck opportunity at 16:12 in (from Maddie Cox). The Bison made the critical decision to remove their goalie from the ice, giving them an extra skater. However, Richard pried the puck lose from Nichols' hold on it and sent it flying across center ice for an empty-netter and a 4-0 final Seahawk Success.

NOTEWORTHY:

• Salve Regina outshot Nichols 30-20. 
• The Bison served six minutes on three infractions and the Seahawks were in the penalty box for a total of four minutes resulting from two infractions. 
• Nichols went 1-2 and Salve Regina went 1-3 on the power play.
• Senior goalie Ellee Kopecky is credited with the win. Kopecky made 18 stops. 

THOUGHTS FROM COACH LUN: 

Women's ice hockey overcame an early 2-0 deficit for a 4-2 win over CCC rival, Nichols College. Take a listen to Coach Lun's thoughts on how the team found success. pic.twitter.com/QMBFM6AQkI

— Salve Regina Sports (@SalveAthletics) January 26, 2024

ON THE HORIZON: 

Two days from now, on Saturday, January 27, women's ice hockey will travel to Nichols' home rink in Burrillville, Rhode Island for a 4:40 p.m. face off.