St. Norbert scores two late goals to edge Women's Hockey, 4-3

MEQUON, Wis. – Two goals over the final five minutes of play lifted St. Norbert College past the Concordia University Wisconsin Women's Hockey team Friday night at the Ozaukee Ice Center. SNC scored the game winner with 2:37 remaining in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association contest.

Sophomore Katherine Pauletti (Roseville, Minn.) scored two unassisted goals for the Falcons. Both of her goals came in the second period, as her final score gave CUW a 3-1 lead with 11:05 remaining in the second stanza. From that point it would be all Green Knights as they scored once in the second followed by the two late third period goals to escape with a 4-3 victory.

Katie Conlon scored the game winner at the 17:23 mark of the final period off assists from Lauren Roethlisberger and Ali Parker. Roethlisberger scored the game-tying goal at the 15:11 mark of the third period.

The opening period had both teams score one goal, but that wasn't the story as rather the team uniforms highlighted the first 20 minutes. SNC, who forgot their uniforms back in De Pere, were wearing CUW practice uniforms over the first three minutes or so. It was thought the Green Knights would wear those uniforms until the second period, but rather their players starting swapping uniforms between shifts in the opening once their normal colors arrived.

The Green Knights appeared to build a 1-0 lead at the 3:40 mark of the first period, but rather were called for illegal equipment as some players were wearing the CUW practice jerseys and some the SNC road uniforms when the goal was scored. The Falcons took full advantage, scoring 20 seconds into the power play off the stick of Brittany Sticha (Lonsdale, Minn.). Junior Emily Heckendorf (Merrill, Wis.) and freshman Veronika Metanova (Palatine, Ill.) assisted on the Sticha score.

SNC would tie the score at 1-1 before the first period ended, but Pauletti then went to give the Falcons a two-goal lead with her two unassisted scores in the second stanza. The Green Knights answered with three unanswered for the key conference win.

Sophomore Jennifer DeGeorge (Waukesha, Wis.) finished with 27 saves as CUW was outshot 31-17 in the game. Katie Alulia improved her record to 3-0-0 in goal for the Green Knights. Both teams were strong on the limited power play opportunites they got as SNC went 2-for-2, while CUW was 1-for-2 with an extra skater.

These two teams will get together again tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. at the Ozaukee Ice Center. Live coverage links will be available at CUWFalcons.com.