BIDDEFORD, Maine - Junior Amanda Kempainen (Chazy, N.Y./Chazy Flyers U19) scored the game-winning goal 2:50 into overtime as the Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team beat the University of New England, 3-2, in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East play on Saturday in the Harold Alfond Forum. The Purple Knights win their first game of the season and go to 1-4 overall and 1-3 in the league, while the Nor'easters move to 2-3 and 1-3. The game was a rematch of both teams' season opener on Oct. 31, which the University of New England won, 4-1.

Kempainen finished the day with two goals, with sophomore Erin Dwyer (Weymouth, Mass./Charles River) netting the other Saint Michael's tally. Senior Fernanda Saavedra (Miami, Fla./Pittsburgh Penguins Elite), junior Emily Loebs (Acton, Mass./Minuteman Lady Flames), sophomore Lauren Sullivan (Wakefield, Mass./Middlesex Islanders) and first-year Sierra Hannough (Hudson, Quebec/Taft School) all provided assists. Sophomore goalie Tina Frasca (Norwood, Mass./Tabor Academy) picked up 34 saves for the win.

Sophomore Shannon Smith (Naperville, Ill./Pittsburgh Elite) and first-year Samantha Pratt (Madison, Conn./Winchendon School) both scored for the Nor'easters as sophomore Melissa Boudreau (Lombard, Ill./Chicago Youth Americans) dished two assists and junior Marissa Clifford-Biederman (Lee, N.H./Oyster River) added one helper. Junior Samantha Scobee (Minnetrista, Minn./Mound Westonka) made 14 stops.

In overtime, Saint Michael's took control by not allowing the University of New England to get any shots on net. After a pair of Scobee saves on Dwyer, the Purple Knights lined up for an offensive zone face off. After winning the draw, Saavedra pushed the puck toward the net and a crashing Kempainen collected the puck, made a spin move and stuffed in the game winner through the legs of Scobee.

Saint Michael's jumped on the board with two goals in the opening 5:47 of the first period. Dwyer led off the scoring when she fired a shot into the net from the right circle at 2:14.Twenty seconds after killing a penalty, the Purple Knights extended their lead to two goals after Hannough fed a pass to Kempainen, who wristed a top-shelf shot from inside the slot at 5:47. Frasca kept the hosts off the board by stopping all eight shots she faced in the opening 20 minutes.

The Nor'easters found their way on the scoreboard, though, when Pratt buried a goal at 11:44 of the second period. Kempainen and Saavedra then peppered Scobee with one shot apiece, but the score remained a one-goal margin as the University of New England outshot Saint Michael's, 14-6, in the second stanza.

After going on the power play just 25 seconds into the third period, the hosts knotted up the score when Smith tallied a goal at 1:33. Despite the early blemish, Frasca kept the Purple Knights on an even keel by stopping all 13 shots she faced during the remainder of regulation. The hosts ended the third period with an overall 33-14 shot advantage.

The Purple Knights return home for the first time since Oct. 31 when they host a pair of ECAC East contests, beginning with Franklin Pierce University at 7 p.m. on Friday, followed up by a Saturday matchup against the College of the Holy Cross at 3 p.m.