Senior forward Meaghan Rickard scored at 2:59 of overtime for the Friars
Rickard Scores in Overtime to Send Providence Past Merrimack, 3-2
Senior forward Meaghan Rickard scored at 2:59 of overtime for the Friars

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Meaghan Rickard (Coventry, R.I.) capped off Providence's 3-2 comeback victory, 2:59 into overtime, to defeat the Merrimack Warriors on Saturday, Nov. 23 at Schneider Arena. Providence scored three unanswered goals to improve to 7-6-2 on the season with a 5-4-0 record in Hockey East play.

SCORE

Providence - 3 | Merrimack - 2 (OT)

RECORDS:

Providence - 7-6-2 (5-4-0 HEAW) | Merrimack - 3-11-2 (1-9-2 HEAW)

VENUE

Schneider Arena - Providence, R.I.


GAME FLOW & NOTES

- Merrimack notched two first period goals to take a 2-0 advantage at the end of the opening 20 minutes. Katie Kaufman scored 9:33 into the period while Mikyla Grant-Mentis added a power play goal with just under three minutes remaining.

- Providence led in shots, 12-3, after the first period of play. The Friars failed to convert on two power play opportunities while the Warriors converted on one of their four power play chances.

- The two teams skated to a scoreless second period with Providence tallying eight shots compared to the Warriors' five.

- Neve Van Pelt (Mitchell, Ontario) brought the Friars within one, 2-1, 14:19 into the third period on the Friars' fifth power play chance of the afternoon. Bailey Burton's (Bloomington, Minn.) shot deflected off the goaltender's pad before Van Pelt flicked the puck past the netminder in front of the crease for her third goal of the season.

- Hayley Lunny (Bedford, N.Y.) found the equalizer with 51 seconds remaining in the third period. She found the puck in front of the crease and punched it in to tie the game at 2-2.

- Providence capped off the comeback on Meaghan Rickard's game-winner 2:59 into the overtime period. Chloe Gonsalves (Toronto, Ontario) slipped a puck in front of the net that Rickard re-directed over the goaltenders stick for the win. The goal marked Rickard's third of the season. Annelise Rice (Exelsior, Minn.) was credited with the secondary assist for her third of the season, Gonsalves' assist was her fifth of the 2019 campaign.

HOW THEY SCORED

1-0 (Merrimack) - 9:33/1st - EV - Katie Kaufman (Maud, Roust) - Wrist shot between the two circles off a rebound

2-0 (Merrimack) - 17:15/1st - PP - Mikyla Grant-Mentis (Laskova, Jones) - Wrist shot through traffic

2-1 (Providence) - 14:19/3rd - Neve Van Pelt (Burton) - Wrist shot over the goaltender's glove

2-2 (Providence) - 19:08/3rd - Hayley Lunny (DeBlois, Fransoo) - Punched in off a rebound infront of the net

3-2 (Providence) - 2:59/OT - Meaghan Rickard (Gonsalves, Rice) - Re-direction on puck slid infront of the crease


GOALTENDERS

Clare Minnerath - 14 saves, 2 goal against
Emma Gorski - 31 saves, 3 goals against


STAT COMPARISON

Providence -
Shots: 34
Face-offs: 29-56
Power plays: 1-5
Penalty kill: 3-4

Merrimack -
Shots: 16
Face-offs: 27-56
Power plays: 1-4
Penalty kill: 4-5


PC GAME HIGHS

Goals: Lunny, Rickard, Van Pelt (1)
Assists: Five players (1)
Points: Eight players (1)
Shots: Hjalmarsson (5)


LOOKING AHEAD

The Friars host Brown for the Mayor's Cup on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 12:00 p.m.

Game Summary

Saturday, November 23, 2019

2
3
Game statistics
16 Shots 34
1 / 4 Power Plays 1 / 5
6 / 12 PIM 5 / 10
3-11-2 Records 7-6-2
GOAL SCORERS
Merrimack Providence
Katie Kaufman (3)
1st/9:33
Mikyla Grant-Mentis (13)
1st/17:15 PP
Neve Van Pelt (3)
3rd/14:19 PP
Hayley Lunny (4)
3rd/19:08  EA
Meaghan Rickard (3)
OT/2:59  GW
GOALTENDERS
Merrimack Providence
Emma Gorski
62:59, 31 Saves, 3 GA
(L, 1-3-0)
Clare Minnerath
62:16, 14 Saves, 2 GA
(W, 6-4-2)

Empty Net
0:43, 0 GA