Auburn, ME – CMCC Women's Hockey returned to the ice for their first game of the second semester, taking on the University of Maine in an IWCHL rematch of the Mustangs home opener. This time the Black Bears came out on top with a 6-5 win, as not even a hat trick from Central Maine captain Kylee Spugnardi was enough to overcome the host's seven penalties.
UMaine wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. The Black Bears controlled the puck for the opening moments before Caroline Tracey skated in and buried a shot past goaltender Tatum Hunt after only 22 seconds.
CMCC responded quickly, taking advantage of a penalty against the visitors for too many players on the ice. Fiona Landry scored her ninth of the year on the ensuing power play to even the score at 1-1 just 2:52 in.
Em Malouin scored a power play goal of her own midway through the opening period to put UMaine back on top 2-1. Spugnardi then pounced on a turnover at the blue line before burying a wrist shot from the slot, tying the game at 2-2 heading into the second period.
Once again, the Black Bears made the quicker start to the period. Tracey set up Amanda Allan in the high slot. The defenseman found the back of the net through traffic just 1:17 into the frame. The Mustangs continued to keep pace, tying the game three minutes later. Landry angled a pass off the boards for Alexandra Hammerton, who was playing her first game with the team since joining in the second semester. The Saint Dominic Academy graduate saw her shot from the left circle saved, but Emma Knowles crashed the net to poke home the rebound and make it 3-3.
However, the trend for the night was CMCC drawing level, but now going in front. Emily Tucker finished off a beautiful passing play from Tracey and Breanna Reneau at 5:27 for a 4-3 UMaine lead.
It stayed that way for the rest of the period. After the intermission, the Black Bears made it back-to-back goals by the same team for the only time in the game. On the power play, Isabella Flinn knocked down a clearing attempt in the neutral zone. Allan skated in and found the corner from the left circle to make it 5-3.
The two-goal advantage didn't last long. Spugnardi scored her second goal of the game just 23 seconds later. Lauren Hanlon kept the puck in the zone and the Edward Little/Leavitt/Poland Red Hornets product did the rest, finding an open lane to the front of the net and picking the top corner with 11:23 to play.
UMaine stayed one step ahead with a goal from an offensive zone faceoff. Malouin's shot from slot was blocked, but deflected over to Joey Evans. The forward got her stick on the bouncing buck and sent it to the back of the net for a 6-4 lead.
Central Maine was running out of time but got back within a goal through an unlikely method. On the penalty kill, Hanlon cleared a puck to Spugnardi for a shorthanded two-on-one with Hammerton. The newcomer, affectionately known as "Bugsy", put a pass back across the slot for the captain. Spugnardi deked around goaltender Lily Berard before sliding the puck in to finish off her fourth career hat trick. That made it 6-5 with 2:12 left on the clock.
The Mustangs pulled Hunt for an extra attacker in the final moments, but could not find a game-tying tally. One final offensive zone faceoff produced a goalmouth scramble with six seconds to play, but the Black Bears kept the puck out to hang on for the win.
The loss was CMCC's first of the year against an IWCHL opponent. UMaine avenged its 8-2 defeat at the hands of the Mustangs from way back on October 19th. The Mustangs took a season-high seven penalties in the game.
Central Maine gets right back to it with the program's first ever men's and women's hockey doubleheader on Saturday. The women's team gets things started against the University of New England Nor'easters at 5:15 pm.
