SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - Freshman Alison Wickenheiser (Germantown, Md./Washington Pride U19) scored on a power play with 25.8 seconds left in overtime, helping Lindenwood (Mo.) University eke past the Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team, 6-5, on Friday in Cairns Arena.

The Purple Knights, who were facing a team set to compete at the Division I level next year, slipped to 3-17-1 while netting a season high in goals. The Lions improved to 7-21, winning their fifth straight contest against NCAA teams. In the second of a two-game series, the squads square off again tomorrow at 3:20 p.m.

Senior Madelena Santore (Millington, N.J./New Jersey Rockets) and freshmen Shannon Rice (West River, Md./Navy U19) and Fernanda Saavedra (Miami, Fla./Pittsburgh Penguins Elite) notched a goal and an assist apiece for the hosts, while junior Erin Stevens (Watertown, Conn./Connecticut Polar Bears) made 41 saves. Senior Casey Yelton (Arnold, Md./Washington Pride) and junior Melissa Coughlin (Franklin, Mass./Franklin) also scored, with Coughlin netting her first career marker, and sophomore Olivia Collins (South Boston, Mass./Boston Shamrocks) provided two assists.

Wickenheiser netted a hat trick, and freshman Kendra Broad (Patrolia, Ontario/Southwest Wildcats) had a goal and an assist for Lindenwood. First-year Caitlyn Post (Clarkston, Mich./Little Caesars U19) notched two helpers, as 12 Lions picked up points, while classmate Taylor Fairchild (Overland Park, Kan./Little Caesars U19) made 27 saves.

Saint Michael's battled back from three two-goal deficits, taking its first lead with 2:28 remaining in regulation on Coughlin's tally. However, Broad knotted the game eight seconds later, and Wickenheiser tallied her winner from the doorstep midway through a Purple Knight penalty late in overtime.

The Purple Knights took eight of the first 10 shots in the opening period, which saw the teams remain scoreless until combining for four markers in the final 4:33. Wickenheiser and sophomore Samantha Redick (Anchorage, Alaska/Team Alaska U19) tallied 1:07 apart late in the stanza, making it 2-0 by 16:34, before Yelton scored on the doorstep at 16:51 off feeds from Saavedra and sophomore Macey Thomas (Amherst, Mass./Northfield Mount Hermon). The Lions reestablished a two-goal cushion at 18:40 on Broad's marker.

Saavedra had a shot redirected home at 5:03 of the second, bringing her team within one, but Wickenheiser pushed her team ahead by two 2:32 later. Saint Michael's responded at 10:28, with Rice finding the back of the net, and the hosts killed off three penalties in the final 6:20, including a Lion 5-on-3 that lasted for 50 seconds. The Purple Knights trailed just 4-3 heading into the final period.

Santore snuck a shot from the right circle inside the left post 6:55 into the final period to knot the game, and the teams traded goals in the final 2:28 to send the game into overtime. Stevens made a trio of stops in the extra period, when each team had a power-play opportunity, with Wickenheiser ending the contest.