SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team yielded the tying goal with 3:42 left in regulation en route to a 2-2 tie against the State University of New York at Potsdam in both teams' season openers during non-conference action at Cairns Arena on Friday. Friday marked the Purple Knights' first-ever season-opening tie.

Senior Emily Loebs (Acton, Mass./Minuteman Lady Flames) and junior Sarah Bagley (Concord, Mass./Concord-Carlisle) both scored for Saint Michael's. Seniors Naomi Major (Telluride, Colo./Telluride Lizard Heads) and Kaly Spilhaus (Bourne, Mass./Groton School) provided assists. Junior goalie Abby Burke (Bedford, Mass./The Rivers School) collected 28 saves.

Junior Jordan Ott (Hilton, N.Y./Rochester Edge) recorded one goal and one assist for SUNY Potsdam, while first-year Jenna Patterson (Boissevain, Manitoba/Westman Wildcats) also scored. Seniors Katie Marsman (Wantagh, N.Y./Wyoming Seminary) and Alison Greene (Massena, N.Y./Norwich) earned assists. Senior Abby Tardelli (Potsdam, N.Y./North Country Ice Storm) made 16 saves.

SUNY Potsdam owned a 7-4 shot advantage through a scoreless first period. Burke staved off an early SUNY Potsdam barrage, turning away four shots in the opening minute, including a point-blank right pad stop on Patterson. The hosts countered with a pair of shots on their first power-play opportunity at 13:01, but Tardelli denied sophomore Jillian Witwicki (Danvers, Mass./Pingree School) on both chances. Burke recorded two more stops to round out the period before Purple Knight junior Lauren Cuculino (Glen Mills, Pa./Quakers) had her shot blocked by a Bear defender just before the horn.

The Bears continued their offensive surge in the second stanza, potting one goal during a 14-shot output. Burke collected two saves in the first 20 seconds before Saint Michael's senior Amanda Kempainen (Chazy, N.Y./Chazy Flyers U19) had her breakaway shot gobbled up by Tardelli. Kempainen scooted up ice on another breakaway 6:40, but sent another bid into Tardelli's chest. SUNY Potsdam broke onto the board at 13:58 after Ott buried a second-chance shot off the crossbar while skating on a 5-on-3 advantage.

Saint Michael's and SUNY Potsdam then had an even 7-7 shot line during the third period. While skating on a power play that had carried over from the previous period, Loebs let loose a point shot that found its way through traffic for the equalizer at 1:05. Bagley put the hosts on top at 10:43 when she flipped the puck over Tardelli's left shoulder following an initial stop on Spilhaus' shot. With 3:42 left in regulation, SUNY Potsdam netted the tying goal when Ott connected with a crashing Patterson, who deposited a back door shot past Burke's left pad.

The Bears opened overtime with a pair of shots in the opening 12 seconds, but Burke denied both close-in chances. Witwicki registered the hosts' only shot on net of the extra session.

Saint Michael's heads over to SUNY Potsdam for a 3 p.m. game on Saturday.