ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT women’s hockey team (3-8-4, 1-4-0 CHA) scored three times in a span of 3:11 early in the third period to break open a close game and defeat Lindenwood University (3-9-2, 1-4-1 CHA), 5-2 from the Gene Polisseni Center Friday afternoon.
Five different Tigers scored goals, while defenseman Taylor Baker (Toronto, Ontario/North Toronto Collegiate Institute) had a career-best three assists. Mallory Rushton (Amherst, Nova Scotia/New Hampton Prep) and Tori Haywood (Pickering, Ontario/St. Mary’s Catholic) tallied a goal and an assist apiece, while Brittney Gout (Caledon, Ontario/Brampton Canadettes), Hunter Barnett (Caledon, Ontario/Mississauga Jr. Chiefs) and Kathryn Kennedy (Hamilton, Ontario/) also scored. Terra Lanteigne (Hatchet Lake, Nova Scotia/Charles P. Allen) made 22 saves to pick up her fourth win of the season.
Sierra Burt and Alexandra Larson scored for Lindenwood in the loss. Sophie Wolf made the start and stopped 24 of 29 shots before being replaced with 12:27 left by Annika Asplundh. Asplundh made three saves in relief.
RIT out-shot Lindenwood, 32-24. The Tigers were 1-for-6 on the power-play, while Lindenwood was 0-for-4. The Lions did score a shorthanded goal.
“I thought we came out with an edge and it carried over for the entire 60 minutes,” said Bruce B. Bates Women’s Hockey Coach Chad Davis. “I was happy with our effort and performance, as we were able to roll all four lines and get everyone involved.”
RIT got off to a fast start, peppering Wolf from the opening draw. RIT was rewarded just 48 seconds in, when Kennedy slammed home a rebound on a third attempt after Madison Farrand (Potomac, MD/Winston Churchill) had two swipes at the puck stopped by Wolf. Baker, who fired the initial shot that was blocked in front, starting the net front scrum, drew the second assist.
RIT kept coming and almost made it 2-0 as Jade Mancini (Burlington, Ontario/Bishop Tonnos) had a chance from that slot thwarted by the pad of Wolf.
Lanteigne had to come up with a key save on a Lindenwood power-play later in the period, as she came across to smother a shot by Sierra Burt from the left side.
Lanteigne was called upon to make three key saves over the first half of the second period to maintain RIT’s lead. First, she made a big stop with the blocker on Lillian Marchand from the slot and then moments later, denied Burt who came out from behind the net and had a point-blank chance in front. Finally, Lanteigne robbed Cierra Paisley, who came in on a shorthanded 2-on-0 rush.
Lindenwood would tie the game at 1-1 with 3:58 remaining in the period, as Larson converted a perfect feed from Kirsten Martin on a 2-on-1 rush and chipped a shot over a diving Lanteigne for her second goal of the year.
RIT would regain the lead with 1:09 left in the period, as Haywood would slam home a rebound after the initial shot by Baker was stopped by Wolf for her first goal of the season.
The Tigers would put the game away with three goals in a span of 3:11 early in the third period. Gout scored her third goal of the season, 4:22 into the period, taking a goal mouth feed from Rushton and lifting a shot over Wolf to make it 3-1.
Just 1:13 later, Barnett converted a rebound in front after Claudia Black’s (Newmarket, Ontario/St. Maximilian Kobe) initial shot was stopped for her fourth goal of the season. Abby Davies (Ashton, Ontario/Ottawa Lady Senators) earned her first collegiate point, drawing the second assist on the goal. Rushton would complete the onslaught 7:33 into the period, streaking down the left wing on the rush and roofing a shot over Wolf for her second goal of the year.
RIT leads the all-time series between the two schools, 11-9-5. The two teams will also meet for two games at Lindenwood on Feb. 8-9, 2019.
RIT and Lindenwood will play game two of the weekend series Saturday afternoon from the Polisseni Center at noon. The Tigers will wear special blue jerseys to honor the Rochester Icecats organization and bring awareness to Rochester Special Hockey. The game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off at a later date.
