Purple Knights fumble two-game unbeaten streak

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Contact: Tony Bonvechio - Phone: 802.654.2929

Senior captain Kelly Rose Losi scored in the second period on Friday (pic by Shane Bufano).

Box Score: http://smcathletics.com/sports/wice/2010-11/files/wusmstm.htm.
Photos (taken by Mary Ann Graf): http://www.smcathletics.com/sports/wice/2010-11/photos/0015/index.

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Saint Michael's College women's hockey team (3-15-2, 2-9-2 ECAC East) suffered a 5-1 setback to Southern Maine at Cairns Arena on Friday. The Purple Knights worked a 1-1 tie early in the second period, but four unanswered goals for the Huskies erased any Saint Michael's hopes of earning its first home win of the season.

The Huskies took the lead in the first period on a power play tally thanks to a slick move by sophomore Kailey Bubier (Auburn, Maine/Hebron Academy). Bubier notched her team-leading 10^th goal of the season with a sweeping shot as she cut in front of the crease and rattled the puck home off the left post.

Saint Michael's senior Kelly Rose Losi (Milton, Mass./Milton) tied things up with a one-timer goal off a rebound in the fourth minute of the second period, but Southern Maine reclaimed the lead on a delayed-penalty goal just under 10 minutes later. Freshman Erin Banfield (Montpelier, Vt./Vermont Stars) took advantage of the six-skater offense and crashed the net with a backhand flip that put the Huskies up 2-1 and proved to be the eventual game-winner.

The Purple Knights poured on a relentless attack at the end of the period, rattling off a dozen shots over two 5-on-3 power plays, but could not best Southern Maine freshman goalie Jordan Lee (Colorado Sprints, Colo./CSAHA Tigers). The best scoring chance came on a slap shot by sophomore Allison Graf (Long Lake, Minn./Minnesota Thoroughbreds) from the top of the left circle that clanked off the inside of the right post and scattered harmlessly out of the crease.

The Huskies added three insurance goals in the final period, beginning with a redirection goal by junior Katie Paradis (Rochester, N.H./Lady Freeze) just over a minute into third period action. Paradis swung her stick like an ax to slice the puck out of the air and into the net off a slap shot by sophomore Katie Davis (Woburn, Mass./Woburn). Eleven minutes later, multiple penalties forced 4-on-4 hockey, and freshman Courtney White (Medford, Mass./St. Mary's) took advantage of the open space by flicking in a shot immediately after the penalty-induced faceoff. Finally, Bubier netted her second goal of the night with three minutes to play. The second-year forward lifted a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle that slid through the stick side of Saint Michael's sophomore goalie Erin Stevens (Watertown, Conn./Connecticut Polar Bears) to give the Huskies a 5-1 victory.

For Saint Michael's, Stevens made 36 saves before being pulled for the final two minutes in favor of an empty net. For Southern Maine, Lee stopped 22-of-23 shots faced for her sixth win of the year.

The Purple Knights take the ice at Cairns Arena again tomorrow at 1 p.m. against Plymouth State, who Saint Michael's bested 4-2 on the road on Nov. 13. 

GAME SUMMARY

                                    1          2          3          Total
Southern Maine           1          1          3          5                                
Saint Michael's            0          1          0          1                     

SCORING

First Period: 1. USM, Bubier (Davis), 14:51.

Second Period: 2. STM, Losi (Nelligan, Elliott), 4:00. 3. USM, Banfield (Whiting), 13:24.

Third Period: 4. USM, Paradis (Davis), 1:08. 5. USM, White (Cronin), 11:21. 6. USM, Bubier (Sacco, Paradis), 17:18.

Shots on Goal: USM (11 – 14 – 16 – 41), STM (7 – 12 – 4 – 23).                                                                                     

Saves: USM, Lee, 59:56 (22 saves); STM, Stevens, 57:51 (36 saves).

                                                           -PURPLEKNIGHTS-