SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) received the game-winning goal from
Barbora Cerna-Proskova in overtime and
Sadie Bellissimo turned aside 41 shots as the RPI women's hockey team earned a 2-1 victory over #5 Northeastern this afternoon. The Engineers erased a third-period deficit before Cerna-Proskova delivered the winner to give RPI its first victory of the season.
Bellissimo kept the game scoreless through the opening two periods despite sustained pressure from the Huskies. She stopped 16 shots in the first period and another 14 in the second, while the Engineers successfully killed off Northeastern's lone power-play opportunity of the opening 40 minutes.
Northeastern finally broke the scoreless tie early in the third period when Grace Sadura finished a setup from Allie Lalonde and Morgan Jackson. RPI answered midway through the frame after drawing its first power play of the afternoon.
Gracyn Mackay and
Mia Montanari each generated shots during the advantage before
Kaylynn Fisher found the back of the net off assists from
Georgia Bailey and Mackay to pull the Engineers even at 1-1.
The Engineers preserved the tie later in the period behind another successful penalty kill, with Bellissimo making a key save during the Northeastern advantage before RPI forced overtime.
Bellissimo continued her strong performance in the extra session, stopping four Northeastern attempts over the opening minutes. RPI then capitalized on its opportunity at the other end, as Cerna-Proskova finished a setup from Montanari and Mackay for the overtime winner and her first goal of the season.
Bellissimo finished with 41 saves while allowing just one goal, and Mackay recorded assists on both RPI tallies. Montanari registered an assist and a team-high four shots on goal, while Fisher's third-period score marked her first goal of the season.
