Article and graphic courtesy of Southern Maine Athletics Communication

NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Junior Madison Chagnon (St. Albans, Vt./Rice Memorial) scored 3:15 into overtime to give the University of Southern Maine Huskies a 2-1 win over Norwich University in the New England Hockey Conference Semifinals. The win is USM's first ever at Norwich's Kreitzberg Arena and the program's first victory over the Cadets since 2008. Chagnon also made history with her overtime goal serving as the 14th game-winning goal of her career, a new program record. Norwich entered the game as the top seed in the NEHC tournament and ranks 11th in the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) poll.
 
Norwich held a 34-16 advantage in shots on goal, but Huskies' senior goalie Haley McKim (Moncton, New Brunswick/Mount Academy) had another outstanding performance in goal with 33 saves to extend the season for Southern Maine.
 
The Records:
No. 5 Southern Maine: 15-10-2 (10-6-2 NEHC)
No. 1 Norwich: 19-6-2 (15-2-1 NEHC)
 
Series History:
Today's win snapped a 37-game winless streak for the Huskies against the Cadet. Southern Maine won the first meeting between the two schools on January 11, 2008 by a score of 3-0. Norwich now leads the series 37-2-3.
 
The Goaltenders:
Southern Maine: Haley McKim (12-8-2), 63:36, one goal allowed, 33 saves
Norwich: Leocadia Clark (13-6-2), 63:36, two goals allowed, 14 saves
 
How It Happened:

• Strong defensive pressure from sophomores Sydnee Chaisson (Stratford, Prince Edward Island/Mount Academy) and Olivia Stewart (Fredericton, New Brunswick/Mount Academy) forced a Norwich turnover and set up Saige MacLeod (Dryden, Ontario) in front of the net for an early score 1:28 into the game. McLeod now has four goals on the season.
• Melianne Reynolds buried the rebound of a Lauren Tuzik shot into an open net to tie the score with 10:27 to go in the first period. Wilda Ohman also had an assist.
• Norwich kept McKim busy in the second period with 14 shots on goal but the senior netminder stopped them all to keep the score even at 1-1.
• The teams played a much more even third period with Norwich putting six shots on the goal to the Huskies' five. However, McKim and Clark were both stout in net to send the game to overtime.
• McKim withstood five shots from Norwich in the first three minutes of overtime and stopped each one.
• A handpass by Norwich resulted in a whistle and a faceoff at Norwich's end of the ice. The Huskies had Maddy Young (Westford, Vt.) take the ensuing draw. She won the puck back to Chagnon, who had a shot blocked that found its way to Young. Young's shot was saved by Clark but the rebound stayed out in front of the net where fellow senior Amanda Crowley (South Yarmouth, Mass./Tilton School) tried to take a shot. The puck eventually found its way over the Chagnon, who flipped it into the open net to send the Huskies to the NEHC Championship game.

Inside The Stats:

• Norwich led in faceoffs 31-19 but Young's final faceoff win proved to be a difference-maker in the contest.
• Sophomore Caroline Thompson (Crapaud, Prince Edward Island/Mount Academy) blocked three shots of the Huskies.
• Chaisson, Stewart, Crowley and Young had assists for the Huskies.
• Southern Maine now has two wins over ranked teams this season. The first came on January 19 against then No.11 Elmira College, the team the Huskies will face in the NEHC Championship.

 
Up Next:
The Huskies will be playing for a conference championship for the first time in program history next Saturday at Elmira. The game time is still being determined.