Lindenwood scored three goals in the first seven minutes, 13 seconds of the third period to turn a one-goal deficit into a 5-3 lead and hung on to defeat 10th-ranked St. Lawrence, 5-4, in a non-league women’s hockey game on Friday night at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
The game was the first of a two-game series dubbed the College Hockey Classic, with the two teams opening the 2018 calendar year at the Anaheim Ducks’ home arena. The series is hosted by the Anaheim Lady Ducks, a junior hockey program that produced four players in the series, including three from St. Lawrence.
The Saints had a 3-2 lead after the second frame, but Cierra Paisley tied the game with a power play goal less than a minute into the third period. Former Lady Duck Lillian Marchant gave the Lions their second lead of the game, 4-3, at the 5:58 mark, and Taylor Girard’s goal just 1:15 later gave Lindenwood the game’s first two-goal lead.
Kayla Nielsen, herself a Lady Duck alumna, cut the lead to one with her second of the game just a minute and a half later, but the Saints were unable to knot the score, despite several excellent opportunities with an extra attacker in the final two minutes of the game.
“That was a fun atmosphere to be in, playing in an NHL rink,” said St. Lawrence head coach Chris Wells ’92. “All the former Lady Ducks put on a great show for the hometown fans.”
The Lions dominated the game early, getting five shots on St. Lawrence goaltender Sonjia Shelly before the Saints were able to register their first shot of the game, but Nadine Edney gave the Saints a 1-0 lead on a scramble in front when a loose puck knocked into the net by a Lindenwood player.
“We played well after the first 10 minutes as Lindenwood did a good job setting the pace early until we were able to get some chances,” said Wells.
Hannah Alt and Meghan Wagner turned the tables on the Saints, scoring goals in the middle of the second to give the Lions their first lead. But St. Lawrence responded, with Nielsen tying the game less than a minute later and Justine Reyes, also a former Lady Duck, scoring her 11th of the season to give the Saints a 3-2 lead at the end of the second period.
Joleyn deBruyn made 24 saves to record the victory for Lindenwood, while Shelly stopped 17 shots for the Saints. St. Lawrence fell to 9-7-3, while Lindenwood improved to 5-11-1.
The loss marked the first time St. Lawrence has lost a game after holding a lead going into the third period since October 3, 2015, when Clarkson came back from a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 win. The Saints were 45-0-3 when going into the third period with a lead since that time.
The two teams will square off at the Honda Center once again on Saturday at 12 p.m. PT.
“It is a quick turnaround tomorrow, but that’s just what we need to do: Get back up on the horse,” said Wells.
