HAMBURG, N.Y. – A late rally and overtime game-winning goal from
Sofie Ancona (Grosse Point Farms, Mi./Saint Clair Shores Saints) completed the Hood College women's ice hockey team's comeback against Hilbert College, with the Blazers taking a 4-3 win on the road.
Inside the Box Score
Ancona scored both the game-tying and game-winning goal.
Mia Cheesebrough (Mendota Heights, Mn./Two Rivers/St. Paul Riveters) ended the game with a goal and an assist.
Emily Cross (Bryantown, Md./Tri-City Eagles) took home three assists.
Ella Phillips (Midlothian, Va./North American Hockey Academy) scored her third goal of the season.
How it Happened
Hood had plenty of chances to score in the first eight minutes of the game, getting 12 shots up before Hilbert registered its first, but could not get anything past goalie Tia Card. Penalties would be the name of the game though, and despite killing off their first one, the Blazers would concede on their second with just over three minutes left in the period, and could not answer before heading into the first intermission down 1-0.
A late penalty at the end of the first period put Hood down a player to start the second, and the Hawks would make it pay just 19 seconds in when a deflection in front of the net got by Sohner. Down two goals, the Blazers kicked it into gear and found a response right away, with Cheesbrough cleaning up a rebound in front of the net to cut the deficit in half. Although a power play shortly after the goal was to no avail, Phillips found the back of the net to knot things up at 2-2.
As soon as the momentum shifted towards Hood though, another penalty just a few minutes after the goal gave Hilbert another opportunity to take it back with 4:48 in the period. The Hawks did just that, scoring three seconds into the advantage to regain their advantage. The Blazers did not allow another shot the rest of the period but could not score before the second intermission.
Both squads had some chances to start the third, with Hood earning another power play just over six minutes into the period. Nothing would come of it, but the Blazers continued to press on the gas as they looked to tie the game, peppering Card with shots while not allowing anything to reach Sohner. Hilbert did manage to get one more shot on the Hood netminder, but the puck went right down to the other side of the ice and, with the goalie pulled, Ancona rifled a shot in the top corner to tie the game with less than a minute to play.
The overtime faceoff was won by the Blazers, who proceeded to control the entirety of the period, with Cross finding Ancona alone in the slot to score the game-winner and complete the comeback.
For the Opponent
Jacqueline Alaburda scored a goal for the Hawks, while Brooke Kwiecien scored two.
Tia Card made 52 saves in the loss.
Analysis
Hood outshot Hilbert 56-21.
The Hawks went 3-4 on their power play chances, while the Blazers did not score on any of their three opportunities.
Hood had a 35-22 advantage in faceoffs.
Up Next
The Blazers return to conference play with a road series against Neumann University Friday, January 23 and Saturday, January 24 at 4 and 2 p.m., respectively.
