Home Girls/Womens St. Mary’s Girl’s HS Hockey Ties Historic First Game

St. Mary’s Girl’s HS Hockey Ties Historic First Game

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Avery Hall Makes a Save in St. Mary's Inaugural Game

BY RANDY SCHULTZ –

Cheektowaga, NY – Hollywood couldn’t have scripted the outcome of St. Mary’s High School girl’s hockey game much better Monday afternoon. Trailing 2-0 going into the third period against the HEWS (Hamburg, Eden, West Seneca) girl’s hockey team, St. Mary’s scored two unanswered goals in the closing minutes to salvage a 2-2 OT tie at the Cheektowaga Town Ice Rink.

Jackie Supples of HEWS and Mia Lehner take the puck from Mia Leemer in the Ceremonial Puck Drop in St. Mary’s First Game in the WNYGVIH Federation. (Janet D Schultz Photo)

It was the opening game for both teams as the Western New York Girls Varsity Ice Hockey League opened its 12th season of play. It also marked the first game ever for the St. Mary’s team, who are in their first season of play in the WNYGVIH.

Following a scoreless first period, HEWS took a 1-0 lead at the 4:50 mark of the second period on a goal by Elizabeth O’Brien. Less than two minutes later twin sister, Katherine O’Brien, scored to give HEWS a 2-0 lead. The twins are seniors at Hamburg High School.

Then came the third period heroics of the Lancers. First it was Alannah Pagano scoring the first goal in St. Mary’s girl’s hockey history to cut the HEWS lead in half at 7:29.

Alanna Pagano Heading to the Goal

Then Kristen Domagola tied the game for St. Mary’s at 11:44. Regulation time ended with the teams tied. The two teams then played a five-minute overtime, with neither team scoring.

HEWS outshot St. Mary’s 34-10. Avery Hall, a freshman, turned aside 32 of the 34 HEWS shots, including two breakaway’s in the closing minutes of the game.

Leia Schneid, a 10th grader from Hamburg High School, played a solid game in goal for HEWS.

NOTES – Mia Leemer had the honor of dropping the puck for the ceremonial faceoff just prior to the start of the contest. Leemer is a freshman who suffers from a brain tumor which ended her hockey career. She has been very instrumental in helping build the St. Mary’s girls hockey program from it’s inception.

Assists on the two HEWS goals went to Holly Stuart (Hamburg HS), Jackie Supples (West Seneca HS) and Hailey Cooper (Eden HS).

Assists on the two St. Mary’s goals went to Samantha Hatt.