SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. – Junior Abby Burke (Bedford, Mass./The Rivers School) recorded a 19-save shutout and the Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team netted goals in the first and third periods to beat Plymouth State University, 2-0, in both teams' New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) openers at Cairns Arena on Friday. The Purple Knights, winners of their first conference opener since the 2007-08 season, improve to 1-1-1 overall and 1-0 in the league, while the Panthers slip to 0-3 and 0-1. Saint Michael's topped Plymouth State for the first time since Nov. 10, 2012.

Senior Amanda Kempainen (Chazy, N.Y./Chazy Flyers U-19) and junior Tori Hubbard (Saint Albans, Vt./BFA-Saint Albans) both scored for Saint Michael's, with Hubbard registering her first career goal. Senior Emily Loebs (Acton, Mass./Minuteman Lady Flames), juniors Tori Dinger (Norwell, Mass./Norwell) and Erin Dwyer (Weymouth, Mass./Archbishop Williams) and sophomore Jillian Witwicki (Danvers, Mass./Pingree School) each had an assist. Senior Kaly Spilhaus (Bourne, Mass./Groton School) and sophomore Amanda Donahoe (Wakefield, Mass./Saint Mary's) were both 4-for-9 on face-offs and junior Carolyn Avery (Lexington, Mass./Lexington) won five draws in her first game of the season. Burke's 19 stops secured her first career shutout.

Senior Alyssa Altschuler (Cheshire, Conn./SUNY Canton) collected 31 saves for Plymouth State, while classmate Kelsey Lynch (Collegeville, Pa./National Sports Academy) was 7-for-10 on face-offs.

Saint Michael's held a 9-6 shot advantage through the opening period. At 6:10, Plymouth State senior Marisa Zamrock's (Lewiston, Maine/Kents Hill School) shot from the left circle was gobbled up by Burke. Two minutes, Burke made a glove save on junior Frederike Brazeau-Lalonde (Thetford Mines, Quebec/Rice Memorial Prep). The Purple Knights then tacked on a goal at 13:54 when Hubbard tapped in the loose puck to the left side off a rebound following Loebs' point shot. Loebs and junior Sarah Bagley (Concord, Mass./Concord-Carlisle) registered the final shots of the period for the hosts.

Burke was tested early in the second period, denying first-year Taylor Jackson (Saint Albans, Vt./BFA-Saint Albans) and junior Emily Auby (Stoughton, Wis./Milwaukee Junior Admirals) on close-in shots during the opening three minutes. Hubbard then raced down the left side at 6:45 before sending a waist-high shot on Altschuler that was snagged. Kempainen and Witwicki were then rejected on back-to-back shots with 5:30 before Avery, Dwyer and junior Lauren Cuculino (Glen Mills, Pa./Quakers) were stopped in the final minute.

At 8:40 of the third period, Altschuler made a kick save on Loebs before Kempainen rang a shot off the left post on the ensuing rebound. Five minutes later, Wiwticki fed a cross ice pass from the left side to Kempainen, who picked the top right corner to give Saint Michael's a 2-0 lead. With just under one minute remaining, Plymouth State senior Olivia Leon (Natick, Mass./The Winchendon School) posted the team's final shot as Altschuler was pulled for the extra attacker in the closing seconds.

Saint Michael's hosts Saint Anselm College in another NEHC contest on Saturday at 1 p.m.