NEVILLE TWP., Pa. — Kirsten Welsh scored two goals, including a power-play tally for the Robert Morris Colonials before Penn State rallied back with two goals in the third period to force a 2-2 tie on Friday night at RMU Island Sports Center.
Welsh opened the scoring at 4:28 of the first period on a shot from the point after a Lions power play had just expired. She doubled the lead with a 4-on-3 power play goal in the second.
Penn State jumped back into the game in the third on goals from Abby Welch and a power play goal by Natalie Helsing.
The third period brought emotion from the team.
“Its obviously frustrating we know that they were going to go hard in the third, and we let up on them a little bit there,” goaltender Elijah Milne-Price said. “We want to come out strong tomorrow.”
“I think we took them for granted after the first two periods, and they came back.” Welsh explained. “We couldn’t get the third (goal). Theyre going to come out hard if not harder tomorrow, so we cant expect anything less than that, we just have to come out stronger and get the win. The tie is just not good enough for us.”
Robert Morris played without all-time leading scorer Brittany Howard, who was held out with an upper-body injury. Howard, the 2017 Dapper Dan Sportswoman of the year, missed her first game since the 2015-16 season after missing the entire 2014-15 season with a lower-body injury. She is listed as day-to-day.
“It’s just a matter of precaution more than anything. Nothing too crazy,” associate head coach Logan Bittle said. “We’re hoping the off week will help and to get her back for the following weekend.”
Without Howard, Robert Morris jumbled the scoring lines, with Sarah Lecavalier skating alongside Howard’s usual linemates Jaycee Gebhard and Amber Rennie. Bittle said the team will have to rely on a group approach to scoring with Howard out.
“You have to find it in different sources,” he said. “You can’t replace someone like that on any given day, but we have a bunch of different players that we think can score.”
BREAKING RECORDS
With Howard’s attempt to pass Rebecca Vint for first on the Colonials all time goal-scoring list stalled (Vint has 73, Howard has 72), another Colonials player made waves in her junior year. Welsh tied Mikaela Lowater for the Colonials for the single-season goals scored by a defender on her second goal. Welsh has improved throughout her career at Robert Morris, passing Lowater in career points by a defender earlier in the season.
“It feels great,” Welsh said. “I wouldn’t be able to do it without my teammates, we all build off of each other. Me and (Katherine Murphy), honestly I wouldn’t have my goals without her and the players on my line. We have to keep progressing as a women’s hockey program, and I’m sure that there are going to be a bunch of women’s hockey players and defensemen after me that will be passed here so its part of the process, and Im glad to be a part of it.
REST STOP AHEAD
Robert Morris and Penn State play the final game of their season series at 3:05 p.m. at the Robert Morris Island Sports Center on Saturday. The Colonials find themselves in a tie with the Lakers for first in the CHA, with Syracuse two points behind the rivals. A week-long bye occurs before Lindenwood makes their only visit to the Island on Feb. 9-10, The Colonials end their season on the road in Mercyhurst and Syracuse.
HIGHLIGHTS
. @RMUWHockey and @PennStateWHKY are here. @juanybailey1 with the mid video scream pic.twitter.com/1VHG4QMj8u
— Mitch (@PHD_Mitch) January 26, 2018
Starting III+VI more for @RMUWHockey pic.twitter.com/FndHSmfzpp
— Mitch (@PHD_Mitch) January 27, 2018
POSTGAME REACTION
