Thanks to two goals from Grace Melanson, the Nichols women's hockey team skated to a 2-2 tie in non-conference play in the second game of a home-and-home with Rivier on Saturday night at Conway Arena. With the tie, the Bison now hold a record of 1-5-1 while Rivier posts a ledger of 1-3-2.
Nichols struck first 11:39 into the first when Melanson tipped the puck out on net off a shot from Sydney Royce. All alone with the rebound bouncing right back to her forehand, Melanson beat Raiders netminder Rachel Hinkley to put the visitors in front, 1-0.
Rivier would respond with a strike with 1:07 to play, when Briana Paxon found the top left corner on a shot from the top of the right circle after sustained zone time on the powerplay to equalize the game headed to the first overtime.
Just over halfway through the third period, the Raiders took a 2-1 lead when Molly Dukesherer beat Julia Carroll on a wrister from the left faceoff circle.
Head coach Michael Barrett called the squad's only timeout of the game to set up a game plan with 2:11 to play, in which he pulled Carroll from the net to gain an extra attacker.
Rivier had multiple chances to strike on the open net, but the Bison defense held tough, and allowed for the Bison to strike. A failed clear kept in by Rebecca Taylor with 23 seconds remaining allowed for Melanson to bury her second goal of the game off yet another rebound out front all alone on the 6-on-5 advantage.
With the game tied at the end of regulation, both teams entered a sudden death overtime period in which the Bison outshot the Raiders six to five, but neither team was able to bury a goal, resulting in a tie.
Nichols outshot Rivier, 56-26, in the contest.
The Bison are set to host Western New England in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) play on Friday, December 2 at Levy Rink, with puck drop set for 5:40 p.m.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up