Box Score
TROY, N.Y. – Backed by a multiple point effort from three different players and four power play tallies in the game, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women’s hockey team defeated the University of Maine, 6-1, in non-conference action this evening. The Engineers, who have now won each of their last three games, improve to 3-1-0 overall. The Black Bears are now 1-3-1 on the season.
RPI took the early 1-0 lead in the first period, backed by a power play marker from junior Nicole McDonald (Ottawa, ON/Ottawa Raiders). Classmate Melanie Guillemette (North Bay, ON/Stoney Creek Jr. Sabres) earned the primary assist after corralling a pass from senior Kelly Barbera (Nesconset, NY/Gunnery School) and chipping the puck up to McDonald for the tally past Black Bears netminder Genevieve Turgeon (Lac Beauport, PQ/Limoilou College) at 14:56.
Maine tied things up in the second frame, as defenseman Elyce Thomas (Port Coquitlam, BC/Pacific Steelers) sent a scorching shot from the blueline past RPI goalie Ashley Mayr (Burnaby, BC/BC Breakers). Getting the puck from sophomore Lexie Hoffmeyer (Grand Blanc, MI/Mercyhurst), Thomas slid into the slot, unleashing the goal at 6:15.
The tie wouldn’t last long as Rensselaer pushed ahead just over four minutes later with a pair of back-to-back power play tallies. Freshman Kendra Dunlop (Granum, AB/Warner Hockey School) gave the Engineers the one goal lead after Barbera chipped the puck from the top of the far circle in to the rookie winger at 10:23.
Guillemette, who also had two assists in the contest, made it 3-1 in favor of the homestanding Engineers just a 1:12 later after putting the puck past Turgeon for her third power play goal of the season from the point.
In the final period, RPI stretched its lead to three (4-1) on an extra-man tally by sophomore Allysen Weidner (Wichita, KS/Shattuck St. Mary’s) at 5:18. Classmate Whitney Naslund (Bloomington, MN/Bloomington Jefferson) was awarded the primary assist after sending the puck across the crease to Weidner, for the nearly-open net goal.
Senior Brooke Thompson (Rochester, NY/Rochester Edge) and junior Jamie-Lynn Stewart (Cambridge, ON/Cambridge Jr. Fury) rounded out the scoring with goals less than a minute apart to give the Engineers the final 6-1 margin.
Rensselaer, which outshot Maine, 49-19 in the contest, including an 18-4 margin in the final period, saw Mayr post 18 saves for her second win of the year. Turgeon, who made several fantastic stops, shouldered the loss for the Black Bears with 43 saves.
The same two teams return to the ice tomorrow afternoon in the series finale. Face-off is set for 3pm at the Houston Field House.
