Box Score RUTLAND, VT.—Castleton University scored one goal in each of the first two periods and held on for a 2-1 win in a 2016 New England Hockey Conference Semifinal rematch.
THE BASICS
Castleton University 2, #9/11 UMass Boston 1
(UMass Boston 6-2-0, NEHC 4-2)
(Castleton University 3-4-0, NEHC 3-3-0)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Hannah Rose and Jade Remillard each scored for the host Spartans, who saw their season come to an end in overtime against UMass Boston women's hockey by a 2-1 score in last season's NEHC Semifinals.
Sophomore Edy Moritz (Guilford, Conn.) cut the deficit to 2-1 with 9:30 to play, but the Beacons couldn't put a second one past Alexis Kalm.
Kalm made 24 saves on 25 shots for the Spartans, including nine saves in the final stanza.
UMass Boston junior goalie Rachel Myette (Duxbury, Mass.) stopped 16 of 18 shots, to fall to 3-2 on the year.
Rose's second goal of the season came with just under seven minutes remaining in the first period. A UMass-Boston turnover in the neutral zone created a fast break for Rose the other way, who pierced through the defense and went backhand to forehand, clipping the inside of the post past an outstretched Myette to give Castleton the 1-0 lead. Both goalies were strong for the rest of the opening frame, giving Castleton its first lead at the first intermission all season.
Remillard put Castleton's first shot on net of the second period, again contested by a variety of Beacons. This time, however, the puck snuck through the scrum in front and skipped through the five-hole of the screened Myette, giving the Spartans a 2-0 lead early into the third. Jocelyn Forrest notched her second assist of the season on the goal. Kalm was solid in the second, maintaining the 2-0 edge into the final frame.
UMass Boston came out firing in the third with multiple chances in the opening minutes, but four straight blocked shots, before two fancy saves from Kalm kept UMass-Boston off the board.
The Beacons had four of the last five power-play chances, only capable of converting on the last one. Moritz received a feed from Kateri McClellan (Ranchos Palos Verdes, Calif.) inside the Spartans blue line and inched towards the goal line, releasing a shot from the far circle that clipped over Kalm's shoulder to make it a 2-1 game midway through the final frame at the 11:30 mark.
UMass Boston was unable to create any more chances down the stretch as the Spartans defense held when the game was on the line. The Beacons were only able to pull their goalie with just 27 seconds left in the contest, but could not put any shots on net with the extra attacker as Castleton earned the 2-1 victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
- UMass Boston outshot the Spartans 25-18. The hosts picked up a 26-17 edge in the face-off dot.
- The Beacons finished 1-for-6 on the power play, while Castleton ended the day 0-for-2.
- Freshman Erica Lunn (Kingston, Mass.) posted a team-high seven shots in the loss.
- Castleton improved to 5-16-1 against the Beacons and earned their fourth win in the past five meetings.
- McClellan's assist was the first of her collegiate career.
WHO'S NEXT
#9/11 UMass Boston will return to non-conference action on Saturday, when they host Colby College at 3 p.m.
PARTS OF THIS RELEASE COURTESY OF CASTLETON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
