Spera lifts Pilgrims past St. Michael's in overtime
Henniker, N.H. – First-year forward Stephanie Spera (Stoughton, Mass.) netted two goals, including the game-winner in overtime, lifting NEC women’s ice hockey past the St. Michael’s College Knights 3-2 Saturday. With the win the Pilgrims improve to 2-0-0 on the season, while the loss drops the Knights to 0-2-0 overall.
The Pilgrims would start the scoring as NEC’s Chelsea Torrico (Mt. Washington, Mass.) would convert on a power-play opportunity assisted by Taryn Moffat (Montrose, B.C.) and Rachel White (Arlington, Mass.) 13:27 into the game.
The Knights would knot the game at 1-1 just 15 seconds into the second period as Emily Paquin (Bowie, Md.) would push in a pass of a face off. St. Michael’s would strike again just five minutes later as Molly DiMasi (Burlington, Vt.) would rebound in a shot from Desiree Biron (Bow, N.H.) putting the Knights up 2-1.
Spera would respond for the Pilgrims as she would put in a pass from Courtney Kerslake (Sarnia, Ontario) with just over eight minutes remaining in the second tying the game at 2-2.
The two teams would battle through a scoreless third period as the Pilgrims would have several scoring opportunities, including a shot by Kate Kellar (Pittsfield, Mass.) in the final minutes that would ricochet off the post.
NEC would open overtime on a power-play but St. Michael’s would kill their seventh Pilgrim power-play of the day in the opening minute. The Pilgrims would get the first shot on net in the overtime as Spera would stuff in a shot with 2:17 remaining assisted by Katie Palasz (Granby, Mass.) and Courtney Kerslake lifting the Pilgrims to victory.
The Pilgrims would finish the game out shooting the Knights 37-27.
Picking up win in net for the Pilgrims was Teraysa White (Belgrade, Maine) who finished with 25 saves. In net for St. Michael’s College was Erin Stevens (Watertown, Conn.) who finished with 34 saves.
