Statistics

BIDDEFORD, Maine – Shannon Nadeau (CHC 1^st Team) scored with 1:22 to play in the second period to lift No. 2 University of New England past No. 3 Nichols College, 3-2, in the semifinals of the 2020 Colonial Hockey Conference Championship.
 
The Nor'easters (16-8-2) advance to the first conference championship game in program history and will visit top-seed Endicott (a 4-0 winner over No. 4 Salve Regina) on Saturday (March 7). The 16 victories tie last-season's total for the most in team history.
 
Kyra Yu (CHC 2^nd Team) raced ahead of the defense and beat Bison goaltender Abby Bassett to put UNE ahead early in the first period [Watch]. Meghan Hamilton put back the rebound off shots by Scott and Marykate Drinkwater to extend the lead to 2-0 through 20 minutes. [Watch].
 
Nichols (6-16-4) kept pace in the second with goals by Jessica Gossas-Moberg and Sarah Zeidan to tie the game 2-2 with 11:09 remaining in the period. Scott won a faceoff in the offensive zone back to Nadaeu near the blue line. The junior buried the game-winner to the left corner, her fourth goal of the season. [Watch]
 
The Bison nearly tied the game in final minute as a shot by Jordyn McGuire beat Julia Benjamin but caromed off the crossbar. UNE was able to withstand the late extra-skater opportunity to advance.
 
Benjamin made 30 saves to backstop the 30^th victory of her career, surpassing Sydney Helmbrecht for the most in program history. Bassett had 23 stops for Nichols.
 
The Nor'easters and Gulls will meet for the will meet for the fifth time this season, with Endicott taking the previous four meetings.