Women's Hockey Battles Back for 5-4 Win at UMass Boston

BOSTON – The Suffolk women's hockey team scored three unanswered goals capped off by late minute heroics from Jesse Kennedy to come away with a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over the UMass Boston Beacons at Edward T. Barry Ice Rink Saturday afternoon. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 5 | UMass Boston 4
RECORDS: Suffolk (2-0-0) | UMass Boston (0-1-0)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
UMass Boston got off to a hot start as senior Katie Leffler snuck a shot past Suffolk goaltender Julia McLellan just 46 seconds into the Beacons' campaign.

The Rams would go on to pepper the hosting goalie Victoria Kennedy over the next several minutes to no avail, until junior Sofia Scilipoti was able to bury a chance at the 7:03 mark with help from Leslie Steiner and Shana Cote to tie the game at 1-all. 

Late in the period, Suffolk took a 2-1 lead thanks to a Cote's connection. Both Madison Duff and Scilipoti tallied assists on the goal that sent Suffolk to the locker room with the advantage. 

History seemed to repeat itself for the Beacons as they got on the board in the first minute of the play in the middle period as Kelsey Ryan tied it up at 2-apiece just 27 seconds out of the locker room. Less than seven minutes later, Ana Gustafson sent one home to restore the edge for UMB, one the UMass held at the second intermission. 

What looked like insurance came 4:54 into the third frame. Leffler lit the lamp for the second time on the season and day to push the distance to a pair, 4-2.  

Down, but not out, a Rams rally prevailed over the remainder of the third. Cote beat Kennedy on the power play for her second goal of the contest to chip the distance down to 4-3 with 11:49 remaining in regulation to jumpstart a Suffolk comeback.  

With 8:40 to go, Vanessa Stuart picked the right time for her first collegiate goal, as a wrist shot from the sophomore tied the game at 4. 

A minute later, Julia McLellan came up huge game-saving stop on a point-black chance from Leffler to keep the Rams chances alive and good thing she did as Suffolk completed the comeback in dramatic fashion. With 1:09 left on the clock, Kennedy found a puck in traffic out in front of the net and made no mistake with the opportunity. The senior put away the puck to push the Rams ahead 5-4.   

UMass Boston rolled the dice by pulling Kennedy from between the pipes for the final 59 seconds. McLellan got the job done on the only shot she faced in the final minute though to preserve the win.  

NETMINDER NOTES

• McLellan made 30 saves on 34 shots.  
• Kennedy registered 39 stops. She fell to 0-1-0 in the setback. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Cote produced her second straight three-point night with an identical two-goal, one-assist stat line from the season-opener. 
• Scilipoti matched Cote's point production with three points of her own. The junior found the back of the net once and set-up two other goals. 
• Kennedy's one point was behind the game-winner. 
• Stuart netted one goal. 
• Duff dished out two assists. 
• Maddy Burton, Cassidy Gruning, Julia Franklin and Steiner each had one helper. 
• The Rams outshot UMass Boston 44-34. 
• Suffolk was successful on two of its seven man-up opportunities. 
• Suffolk's centers handled faceoffs, 46-29.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk begins the year at 2-0-0 for the first time in the program's four-year history.
• The Rams won their first road test of the season for the first time. 
• Suffolk matched up against the Beacons for the fifth time and gained a 3-2-1 series advantage.
• The Rams remain undefeated in road contests against the Beacons, posting a 2-0-1 record in games at Barry Ice Rink.
• McLellan logged her seventh career victory. 
• Stuart scored her first collegiate goal. 
• Burton (1g, 1a), Cote (4g, 2a), Kennedy (1g, 1a), Scilipoti (2g, 2a) and Steiner (2a) have all tallied points in both of the blue-and-gold's outings this year. 
• Franklin notched her first collegiate point on one assist. 
• Suffolk's 10 goals in the first two games of the year is a first for the Rams.  

POST-GAME PIC
 

SUFFOLK'S SCHEDULE
The Rams turn their attention to Worcester State with a weekend home-and-home on tap. On Friday, Nov. 5, Suffolk will matchup with the Lancers at Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center with puck drop set for 6:10 p.m. Porrazzo Memorial Ice Rink plays host to game two, as the two teams will square off on the Rams home ice on Saturday, Nov. 6 at 4:50 p.m.