POTSDAM, N.Y.-The SUNY Potsdam women’s hockey team (7-5) scored twice in the third period to down New England College (2-8) 3-1 on Saturday afternoon. Senior captain Amanda Peterson (West Chazy, N.Y./Chazy Flyers), junior forward Brenna Wilson (Kanata, Ontario/Ottawa Senators) and junior assistant captain Anna-Rose Bertin (Marathon, Ontario/Canadian International Hockey Academy) each scored for the Bears. Freshman goaltender Nicole Whitesell (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Balmoral Hall) stopped 26 shots for her fourth career win.
Peterson put Potsdam on top just 4:57 into the contest with an assist from sophomore forward Jenna Patterson (Boissevain, Manitoba/Westman Wildcats). The Bears then killed off NEC’s lone power play of the first period. Whitesell stopped all eight shots that came her way.
The Pilgrims outshot Potsdam 12-9 in the middle period. NEC failed to capitalize on another man advantage midway through the second. The score remained 1-0 thanks to another perfect period from Whitesell.
Potsdam killed off two more penalties in the first seven minutes the third, but the Pilgrims tied the game shortly after. Sophomore forward Erica Lissner (Woburn, Mass./Utica College) finally solved Whitesell at the 8:05 mark to even the score at 1-1. The tie lasted less than three minutes. At 10:53, Wilson finished a feed from Peterson for the eventual game-winner. With 58 seconds left, the Pilgrims called timeout and pulled sophomore goalie Ashley Castriotta (Framingham, Mass./Winchendon) for an extra attacker. Just 32 seconds later, Bertin put the nail in the coffin with an assist from senior forward Jordan Ott (Hilton, N.Y./Rochester Edge).
Castriotta finished with 30 saves. Potsdam outshot NEC 33-27 and went 0-for-2 on the power play, while the Pilgrims were 0-for-6.
The Bears are now off until Friday, Jan. 13, when they host Neumann University for the first of a two-game ECAC West series.
