Auburn, ME – CMCC Women's Hockey got its second semester slate of games started against IWCHL Adirondack North division and crosstown rival Bates College. The Mustangs scored twice, but could not keep pace with the Bobcats offense, ultimately falling 7-2.
Sydney Bernstein set up the opener 4:19 into the first period. Her centering pass got tangled up in skates at the top of the crease before Caroline Keating fished it free and buried her wrist shot inside the post. Keating nearly scored her second a few minutes later only to be denied by Jaelyn Poitras' best save of the day. The Bates forward cut between the defense only to see her backhand shot stopped by Poitras' left pad. The Mustangs' goaltender then flashed the leather with a fine glove stop to keep out Bernstein on the rebound.
Avery Cattier made it 2-0 with 6:55 left in the frame. Kaitlyn O'Shaughnessy just kept the puck from clearing the blue line, but had it deflected over to Cattier in the right circle. Poitras made the initial save, but the puck deflected off her left shoulder and bounced into the net. The Mustangs had two power play chances in the first to try and get on the board themselves but were kept out by Abby Ziehl.
Bates scored three times in the second period to take a 5-0 lead. Emma Rudy scored back-to-back goals. First, finishing off a rebound from Cece Blackwell-Moore 4:41 into the frame, and one-timing home a pass from Molly Rhatigan five minutes later. Sophie Sullivan added the third goal of the period with 2:16 left before the intermission, knocking in a pass from Lily Friedman.
Central Maine pulled two goals back midway through the frame, but not before Keating added her second. The Bobcats forward picked up a loose puck at the top of the crease and quickly deked around Poitras for a 6-0 lead.
The Mustangs were able to spoil the shutout bid with 10:54 remaining. Kylee Spugnardi was denied on a breakaway chance in the second period, but the CMCC captain was in the right place at the right time to score her team-leading seventh of the season in the third. The Turner, ME native led the rush down the left wing and centered a pass for Kylie Boardman. Ziehl stopped her shot with her right pad but allowed a juicy rebound at the top of the crease that Spugnardi swept home on the backhand.
Zoe Trepaney made it 6-2 a little more than two minutes later. Mackenzie Grenier dumped the puck in behind the net where it was picked up Boardman. The Gardiner Area High School product centered it to Trepaney who knocked it in from the left side of the crease.
Virginia Avery finished off the scoring for Bates to make it 7-2 at the 10:26 mark. Keating found her with a pass at the left point. The defenseman sent a low shot that Poitras got her stick to, but saw it deflect over her head and into the net.
Central Maine outshot Bates 22-21 but fell to 2-8-0 overall on the season with their fifth straight defeat. Neither team scored on the power play, going a combined 0-for-5. The sides meet for their conference rematch on February 5th at Underhill Arena in Lewiston.
The Mustangs next turn their attention to UMaine, hosting the Black Bears for an IWCHL Adirondack North division game on Sunday, February 1st at 3:00 pm. The game will also be Youth Hockey Day for CMCC. Fans wearing hockey jerseys get in free and the first 25 kids in attendance will receive a Mustangs hockey t-shirt.
