The University of Rhode Island’s women’s club ice hockey team had a three-game homestand over the weekend, with two games against the University of Maryland and one against Concordia University Ann-Arbor.
The Rams went 1-2 over this stretch at Boss Ice Arena, winning in their first match against the Maryland Terrapins on Friday night by a score of 2-1. However, in their following meeting with the Terrapins on Saturday afternoon, they fell 3-1. On Sunday, the Rams were defeated 4-2 by Concordia.
Friday night’s 10 p.m. game against the American College Hockey Association division two Terrapins had eight total penalties and 57 shots.
The Terrapins and Rams are both 10-13-1 and sit in the middle of their respective divisions’ standings.
After a scoreless first period, the Rams found the back of the net first at the 17:54 mark of the second period. First-year forward Claire Falcone received a pass in the slot from third-year forward Meagan Wentworth and elevated it just under the arm of Maryland goaltender Sidney Molnar.
This was Falcone’s third goal of the season and second goal in two games.
”It’s been really cool that at the end of the season I’m starting to ramp up goals,” Falcone said.
The Rams headed into the third period up 1-0, but it did not remain that way for long. Maryland forward Aleanna Skogsholm’s ninth goal of the season tied the score at 1-1 just 3:43 into the third period.
Following the tying goal, URI Head Coach Nikki Friesen liked the way her team began to play.
“I think that the way we responded was perfect,” Friesen said. “The girls were excited and ready to go, so it worked out.”
First-year forward Marissa Cataldo’s second goal of the season was the game winner with 3:23 remaining in the game. Falcone and Wentworth picked up their second points of the game with assists on the play. The forwards freed up space deep in the offensive zone, allowing a wide open Cataldo back post to receive a pass and put it past Molnar.
Friesen talked about how the team’s game plan changed after learning about how Maryland’s netminder was performing between the pipes.
“After the first period it was clear their goaltender was going to stop every straight up shot that she saw, so we were really emphasizing getting to the net,” Friesen said. “We made sure that their goalie was going to have to move in order to make a save and that’s where both our goals came from.”
Rhody out-shot the Terrapins throughout all three periods, the final shot count being 36-21.
Just over 12 hours later, both teams were competing again at Boss Ice Arena.
Molnar made her second straight start in net for the Terrapins, allowing Rhody to carry out their same game plan against the goaltender.
”We stayed focused on moving her to one side,” Falcone said. “Then, we’d pass it across and have someone open on the far post for the rebound.”
Similar to their first matchup, no goals were scored during the first period of action. Another similarity came with the shot count, as the Rams, despite being out-scored, led the whole game in shots, finishing 49-29.
The Rams took four penalties throughout the entirety of the game, while the Terrapins only took one. According to Friesen, their penalty-killing unit is coming along nicely.
Skogsholm opened the scoring for the Terrapins 1:33 into the second period, assisted by Lauren Raith and Elizabeth Braun.
Only 36 seconds later, Braun put the Terrapins up by two goals, with Skogsholm getting an assist on the play.
The Rams would cut the deficit to one before the period ended with a goal by second-year Rylee Tanner at the 8:05 mark, but they would be unable to add another.
Reith sealed the game for the Terrapins with a goal under five minutes to go in the third period.
Molnar made 48/49 saves in the afternoon while Rhody goaltender, second-year Kaitlyn O’Brien, stopped 26/29.
For their third game in three days, the Rams took to the ice at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday to face off against the Cardinals.
Second-year Jenna Stevens scored the game’s first goal 41 seconds in. The Cardinals came back with a goal of their own, Makayla Steinmetz’s 16th of the season, less than four minutes later.
The final goal of the period was scored short-handed by Sienna Basile at the 15:17 mark.
”Our power play still leaves a little bit to be desired,” Friesen said. “We’re still working on that.”
The Rams once again scored under a minute into a period, as Falcone evened the score 58 seconds into the second period. However, Basile picked up the go-ahead goal in that same period and Mallory Collins had the Cardinals’ insurance goal in the third period to end the game 4-2.
The Rams next play in a home-and-home series against the University of Massachusetts Amherst starting on Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Boss Ice Arena.