SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT.-The SUNY Potsdam women’s hockey team (0-0-1) opened the season with a 2-2 tie at Saint Michael’s College (0-0-1) on Friday evening. Junior forward Jordan Ott (Hilton, N.Y./Rochester Edge) and freshman forward Jenna Patterson (Boissevain, Manitoba/Westman Wildcats) each scored for the Bears.
Potsdam and the Purple Knights started the season in a closely contested fashion. Shots and strong scoring chances were hard to come by early. Senior assistant captain Abby Tardelli (Potsdam, N.Y./North Country Ice Storm) and Saint Mike’s goalie Abby Burke made any offense even tougher, stopping everything that came their way. The contest was scoreless after 20 minutes with shots 7-4 in the Bears’ favor.
Potsdam used three power plays to dominate the second period. At the 13:58 mark, Ott made the most of a five-on-three power play, striking for her 33rd career goal on a second chance opportunity. Senior captain Katie Marsman (Wantagh, N.Y./Wyoming Seminary) and senior forward Alison Greene (Massena, N.Y./Norwich University) assisted on the play. The Bears outshot Saint Mike’s 14-6 in the middle stanza.
Emily Loebs tied the game just 1:05 into the third period with a power-play marker of her own. Kaly Spilhaus and Naomi Major recorded assists on the goal. Nearly nine minutes later, Sarah Bagley gave the Purple Knights their first lead of the contest, lofting the puck over Tardelli’s shoulder. The advantage lasted less than six minutes before Patterson tipped home a pass from Ott for her first collegiate goal. The shots were even at 7-7 in the third period.
In overtime, Burke stopped two Potsdam chances early and Tardelli robbed Jillian Witwicki to preserve the draw.
Tardelli stopped 17 shots, while Burke countered with 28 saves. Potsdam was 1-for-3 on the power play and Saint Michael’s went 1-for-2.
Bears Head Coach Jay Green was satisfied with the overall effort.
“Our forwards played a great game,” said Green. “Our line of Jordan, Alison and Jenna was very effective and generated a lot of chances in an otherwise evenly played game. Amanda Peterson (West Chazy, N.Y./Chazy Flyers) had a very strong game and was also one of our best forwards of the nights. Defensively, it was a solid effort as a whole. Freshman Rylie Murray (Berkley, Mich./Honeybaked) and junior Madison Smith (Edmonton, Alberta/The College of St. Scholastica) had impressive first outings as Bears and Abby Tardelli had a good, solid game. I was very happy with how the whole team played and hope they can do it again tomorrow.
The Purple Knights come to Maxcy Ice Arena for a 4 p.m. contest tomorrow afternoon.
