The Maine women’s ice hockey team finished the regular season on Friday and Saturday, sweeping past the College of Holy Cross at Hart Center Arena in Worcester, Massachusetts in conference action.
On Friday night- Alyssa Wruble forced overtime with a goal at 18:47 of the second period, and Maine then won it 36 seconds into the extra session on a tally by Sam Morrison. Morrison had two goals on the night to help her team pick up the victory. Charlotte Sonntag and Alexia Morreau had the markers for Holy Cross. Abigail Hornung made 41 saves in the Crusaders net, while Jorden Mattison made 33 for the Black Bears.
On Saturday evening- After allowing the first two goals of the game, Maine scored five unanswered to sweep the series 5-2. Morrison continued her big weekend by finding the game winner at 10:29 of the second period. Madison Michals and Taylor Cantelon scored for Holy Cross, both in the first period. Madison Beck made 29 stops in the cage for the Crusaders, who falls to 7-23-3 and 4-20-3 in Hockey East. Ida Kuoppala had the first two goals for the Black Bears to tie it, and Adriana Van De Leest and Mira Seregely scored the final two after Morrison put them ahead. Kuoppala, Morrison, and Seregely all added one assist each. Mattison made 28 saves, and also hit save 1,000 for her career.
Maine finished the regular season at 15-17-2 and 11-14-2 in Hockey East, finishing as the #8 seed in the conference. The Black Bears will host #9 Merrimack in an opening round (prelim) playoff on Wednesday, February 28 at Alfond Arena at 6 p.m. The winner will get into the quarterfinals on Saturday, March 2.
Recap by Chris Lessner
