SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team opened a two-game mid-week series against the University of Southern Maine by playing to a 2-2 draw on Tuesday evening in Cairns Arena.

RECORDS

• Saint Michael's (3-11-2), Southern Maine (5-8-1)

SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS

• Junior Maddie Gervais (Glastonbury, Conn./East Catholic), 1 goal
• Junior Courtney Kelly (Arlington, Mass./Boston Jr. Shamrocks), 1 goal
• Senior Vika Simons (Essex Junction, Vt./Minnesota Duluth Club), 31 saves
• First-year Maeghan Kennard (Hamlin, N.Y./Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles), 14-for-21 faceoffs

OPPONENT LEADERS

• Senior Katie Nolan, 1 goal
• Sophomore Julianne Nelson, 1 goal
• Senior Whitney Padgett, 35 saves

GAME FACTS

• The teams opened a two-game series, as Saint Michael's is amid a run of six games in nine days.
• Saint Michael's held a 37-33 edge in shots, while the teams combined for only two power-play goals on 15 chances.
• This marked the 20th time in the last 21 meetings that the teams were separated by three goals or less.

THE ACTION

• The Purple Knights held a 9-6 advantage in shots during the opening period, while the Huskies killed a Saint Michael's power play during which no shots reached the net thanks to four skaters blocking shots.
• Southern Maine had the three best opportunities in the frame, including when junior Shannon Colbert forced a giveaway in the low slot and had a backhanded shot stopped by Simons at 7:30. The netminder followed with another point-blank stop of junior Rylie Binette 45 seconds later.
• Simons made three stops during a Husky power play early in the second period, and Kelly covered the post on a backdoor pass before clearing the zone midway through.
• Saint Michael's had a flurry of chances a little more than midway through the frame, with sophomore Jenna Harrison (Kitchener, Ontario/Wellesley) denied from a tough angle at 11:35 before Gervais had a good chance blocked at 12:10 and Harrison was stopped on the rebound. Junior Riley Nichols (Gilford, N.H./Tilton School) nearly broke the deadlock, but Padgett made a left-pad save at the left post with 12:35 gone.
• Gervais tallied the game's first goal at 15:19, taking senior Jordan Monbouquette's (Wayland, Mass./Lawrence Academy) pass up the left boards in neutral ice, going with speed 1-on-1 through the left circle, and finishing into the upper right corner of the net. Senior Alissa Sullivan (Hingham, Mass./Hingham) also assisted.
• Simons secured the lead heading into the second intermission with a glove save from senior Mikayla Butkus' shot from the slot.
• After only one goal was scored in the opening 48 minutes, the teams combined for three in a 10:31 span.
• Seven minutes into the third period, Simons twice denied point-blank shots by senior Amanda Picnick during a Southern Maine power play, first with her pad then with her glove.
• Nolan knotted the contest on a 5-on-3 power play at 8:08, scoring on a rebound after Colbert's initial close-range shot was wide of the net.
• Just 4:47 later, Saint Michael's took the lead on another woman advantage. Nichols' initial shot from the left circle was deflected by Padgett before hitting the left post, and first-year Ella Saracco (Melrose, Mass./Middlesex Islanders) swept the puck along before Kelly knocked it in among a pile of players out front.
• Simons made a big stop of Douglas' shot from the slot at 17:30 to keep her team in front, but the Huskies knotted the game with a 3-on-3 tally at 18:39, with Nelson forcing a giveaway at her own blue line before skating in alone on the goalie and finishing to the top right corner.
• Saint Michael's garnered a 5-on-3 power play for the final 45 seconds of regulation and initial 40 ticks of overtime, but Padgett denied all four shots sent her way, including three by Gervais.
• Southern Maine went on a power play with 54 seconds left, but Harrison won the ensuing faceoff and the Huskies were unable to fire off any shots.

NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S GAME

• Wednesday vs. Southern Maine, 2:30 p.m.