Women’s Hockey Downs Plymouth State, 5-1, in Regular-Season Finale

EAST BOSTON – Suffolk women's hockey snapped a four-game skid at just the right time as the Rams skated past Plymouth State, 5-1, in the regular-season finale Saturday night at Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Rink. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 5 | Plymouth State 
RECORDS: Suffolk (8-14-3, 8-7-1 NEHC) | Plymouth State (7-15-2, 5-9-2 NEHC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Sydney Tietz skated around the zone before dumping the puck to the middle where Madison Ricardo was for an easily tip in to open the scoring 8:14 into the opening period. 

Suffolk added onto its advantage 2:12 into the middle frame. Grace Scholz took the puck the length of the ice for a one-on-one with Olivia Petito. With the Panthers goalie on the right Scholz flipped the puck left to give the hosts the two-goal edge.  

The Rams had more chances to stretch matters as Plymouth State was whistled for a few penalties. The visitors defense backed up Petito between the pipes, even when they 3-on-5. Suffolk would tact on another goal in the second period though, and it came just after the man-up opportunity expired. Three seconds into even strength Stephanie Moy wristed away a feed from Scholz to push the cushion to three at the 15:33 minute mark.  

Plymouth saw its best chance to get on the board when two Rams were in the box. This time it was Suffolk's defense that stood up to the challenge of down two skaters and kept the Panthers from scoring.  

Once Shana Cote returned to the ice after serving two minutes for tripping the sophomore scored had peep in her step. She registered a shorthanded score thanks to a fee from Julia Volpe to extend the margin to four at the 10:03 minute mark.  

Exactly 1:30 later, Cote collected her second goal of the night. Volpe helped again and Haley Poloskey got in on the action with an assist on the Rams fifth goal of the night.  

Plymouth State eliminated the shutout with 4:28 left in the regulation as Addie Swanson caught Julia McLellan off guard. Chantelle Ross drew McLellan to the left and Swanson was waiting for the set-up on the right for the easy score. Ross was credited with the helper that made it a 5-1 game.  

NETMINDER NOTES

• McLellan recorded 18 saves to move to 4-11-2 on the year. 
• Petito secured 41 stops in the setback.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Cote was responsible for close to half of the Rams' five goals with two to her credit. 
• Scholz had one goal and one assist. 
• Volpe dished out two set-ups. 
• Riccardo and Moy each scored once. 
• Poloskey and Tietz both chipped in one helper. 
• Suffolk had the upper hand in shots, 46-19, and edged out the Panthers in the face-off dot, 31-29. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk coupled back-to-back wins over Plymouth State together for the first time in program history. 
• With the victory, the Rams move to 3-1-10 all-time against the Panthers. 
• Suffolk is unbeaten, 2-0-0, all-time against PSU. 
• The five goals scored against Plymouth State is the most in a single game for Suffolk in program history. 
• The four-goal margin of victory is the largest win in the Suffolk, Plymouth State series. 
• Cote matched a personal-best two goals. 
• Scholz matched a career-high in points (2), goals scored (1) and assists (1). 
• Volpe matched a personal-best two helpers. 
• Moy found the back of the net for the first time this season.  

POST-GAME PIC
  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk awaits the official seeding of the NEHC Tournament.