HERE IT IS! @SaintAnselm junior Madison Sprague's net-front tip ended the LONGEST women's ice hockey game in @NCAAIceHockey history! @STAWomensHockey moves on to the @NEWHAonline Championship game! #HawksSoarHigher @Buccigross @ESPNAssignDesk #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/HVK5AeAgkv
— Saint Anselm Hawks (@STAHawks) February 23, 2020
RELEASE COURTESY OF SAINT ANSELM ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Saint Anselm College women's ice hockey team made history on Saturday, winning the longest-ever NCAA women's ice hockey game by a 2-1 score over Franklin Pierce University on Saturday in the New England Women's Hockey Alliance Semifinals.
Box Score | Game-Winning Goal (VIDEO) | Video Highlights
Junior Madison Sprague (White Bear Lake, Minn.) cashed in with a game-winning goal at 147:24 of the game, breaking the previous record of 144:32 (five overtimes) set by Rensselaer and Quinnipiac on Feb. 28, 2010. The Hawks move on to the NEWHA Championship tilt slated for 6 p.m. on Sunday - the contest was originally scheduled for 4 p.m.
Sprague's net-front redirection of a blast from the left point by junior Kathleen LeFebre (Methuen, Mass.) ended the five-overtime thriller and set the Hawks, the reigning NEWHA postseason champions, into celebration.
Senior goaltender Michaela Kane (Haverhill, Mass.) finished with an impressive 44 saves, moving herself up the program's all-time saves list to 835, surpassing Maddie Scavotto '19 to claim fourth place on the career leaderboard. In the process, Kane broke the all-time single season saves record with 442, surpassing Amy Zappen '10 with 442.
The Ravens broke through first in the opening period on a power-play goal at the 6:34 mark with a chip-in from Katelyn Brightbill. Skating along the left flank, Brightbill buried a rebound off a Bridgette Prentiss shot past the Hawks goaltender, giving the Ravens the lead. The Hawks nearly responded a few minutes later on a loose puck out in front of the net, but the far-side referee blew the play dead due to Emme Ostrander covering up the puck.
Saint Anselm was unable to utilize a five-on-three skater advantage for the last minute of the first period despite getting numerous shots on target.
The second period yielded no scoring plays. The Hawks could not capitalize on two power-play chances in the stanza. The Hawks finally netted a goal of their own with 14:12 to go in the third period thanks to junior Katy Meehan (Quincy, Mass.), who slapped home a pass in front of the net from Erin Meyers (Saint Paul, Minn.). The goal from Meehan marked her 15th tally on the season and the 45th of her career.
While on the penalty kill at the six-minute mark of the third period, Saint Anselm had a wide-open opportunity right in front of the net, but Ostrander stuffed the Hawks' effort.
The remainder of the third period remained scoreless, sending the game into a decisive sudden-death overtime period.
One overtime period wouldn't suffice, as both goaltenders made impressive saves throughout the period to extend the game for another 20-minute extra period. The Hawks had a 3-on-1 breakaway at the nine-minute mark thanks to a faulty line change from the Ravens, but Ostrander again came up big for Franklin Pierce with a save.
With just a minute remaining in the second overtime period, Saint Anselm managed to get multiple open looks on goal, but Ostrander made a diving save and another one on her back to shut down the scoring chance for the Hawks, sending the game to yet another sudden-death period. The third and fourth overtimes resulted in no goals scored for either squad.
Ostrander notched 79 saves on the night, good for second on the all-time NCAA saves list in a single game.