Women’s Hockey Bounces Back at Nichols, 5-1

HARRISVILLE, R.I. – Suffolk women's hockey scored five unanswered to take a 5-1 Commonwealth Coast Conference contest over Nichols Saturday afternoon at Levy Rink.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 5 | Nichols 1
RECORDS: Suffolk (17-4-0, 12-3-0 CCC) | Nichols (13-8-1, 8-7-1 CCC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
In a four-goal first frame it was Nichols was the first team to get the puck across the goal line and did so just 1:56 into the game on the power play. It was all Suffolk from there as the Rams would pot three goals over the next 4:14 to grab a 3-1 advantage at the first intermission. 

Less than two minutes later, Leslie Steiner sniped a shot from the blue line to even the score. Elise Wainwright and Julia Volpe had a hand in the game-tying goal. 

Suffolk took the lead thanks to Maddy Burton's goal at the 6:09 minute mark. Stephanie Moy shot from the right corner of the blue line where Shana Cote tipped it in front to Burton who wrapped around and snuck it past Victoria Bakapanos. 

Julia Franklin ended the Rams scoring frenzy 1:51 later. The freshman received a drop pass from Jesse Kennedy and fired a shot over Bakapanos' right shoulder to make it a 3-1 Suffolk score.  

Moy joined the goal scoring group 6:03 into the third. The senior, who set-up Suffolk's second score of the game with a shot from the blue line, managed to secure her own marker from the same spot to stretch the visitors' advantage to 4-1.  

The Rams would go on to seal the deal in the third thanks to Sofia Scilipoti who deked two defenders for a one-on-one with Bakapanos. Scilipoti backhanded the puck into the back of the twine for the final 5-1 margin.  

NETMINDER NOTES

• Lily O'Neil notched 21 saves in the victory. 
• Bakapanos registered 39 stops in the setbacks.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Moy was one of three Suffolk skaters with two points. She had one goal and one helper. 
• Duff and Cassidy Gruning each had two assists. 
• Burton, Franklin and Steiner all scored one goal. 
• Cote, Kennedy, Natasha Savage and Volpe dished out one helper. 
• Suffolk outshot Nichols, 44-22. 
• The Rams won face-offs as well, 39-33.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk has defeated Nichols in four straight games. 
• The Rams are now 4-2-1 all-time against the Bison. 
• Suffolk improved to 2-1-1 at Nichols. 
• The Rams have scored five goals against Nichols four times in the series including back-to-back battles. 
• Gruning matched a career-high two handouts. 
• Moy matched a personal-best two points.  

POST-GAME PIC
 

COMING UP
Suffolk closes out the regular-season series with Salve Regina Tuesday, Feb. 15 at the St. George's Rink in Middletown, Rhode Island. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m.