Penn State beats Lindenwood as Karley Garcia pots first goal of the season in overtime thriller

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Penn State women’s hockey outshoots Lindenwood 50-10 in a 3-2 overtime win on Friday afternoon in the first of a two-game weekend series at Pegula Ice Arena.

Penn State started off hot on two power play goals bringing their power play percentage over 20 and with the amount of penalties, it looked like it could’ve been a blowout.

Penn State’s power play stalled the rest of the game, and Anna LaRose stood on her head to keep the game in reach for Lindenwood, but Penn State solved her and put them away in the bonus frame.

Tessa Janecke continued her run this season making her presence known when she gave Penn State a 1-0 lead with one time slapshot to get her first power play goal of the season.

Olivia Grabianowski took a shot and scored off her own rebound, but after review, the goal was called off due to a high stick.

Penn State was stingy, only letting three recorded shots get through, but Lindenwood was able to find the back of the net on their own power play just two and a half minutes later to tie it up at one.

Penn State was able to start the second period with a fresh power play line with Lindenwood taking another penalty late in the first. Penn State took advantage as Maddy Christian buried one low blocker just 58 seconds into the second period.

A slow second period followed, as Penn State was able to control play putting on 26 shots, but unable to find the back of the net after their early power play conversion. Head coach Jeff Kampersal stated the importance of being able to finishing those shots.

“We got to get in front of the goalies eyes,” Kampersal said, “More traffic and more urgency definitely needs to happen.”

Special teams owned the second with Lindenwood taking three penalties including a five-minute major when Josey Dunne was ejected for throwing Alyssa Machado to the ice. Lindenwood also got a powerplay of their own, but was unable to capitalize with Penn State blocking anything off a Lindenwood player’s stick.

Lindenwood started off the third period with hope after finishing off a five minute penalty kill unscathed and getting a couple power plays but couldn't find a way to get the puck to the net. Penn State had a chance to make it a much steeper climb back but LaRose shut the door on multiple grade A chances.

Late in the third, on a Penn State line change, the puck squirts past the defense and Morgan Neitzke found herself on a partial break and sends a back hand shot right past the blocker of Katie DeSa that hits the inside of the far post and goes in to tie the game up at two with two and a half remaining in regulation.

LaRose denied Penn State for the final two minutes on a huge penalty kill for Lindenwood to send the game into overtime. Penn State was not short on scoring chances, but LaRose made multiple huge saves to keep Lindenwood in a game where the offense wasn’t able to get much going.

The game went to overtime where Penn State again dominated the period. LaRose continued to give the Penn State offense troubles, but after an unbelievable save on a one timer, the rebound bounces out onto Karley Garcia’s stick where she tucks it for the game winner and her first goal of the season. Garcia said how the trust in her teammates let her climb to be on the doorstep for that rebound.

“I saw that I had a step on the girl that was defending me and I just wanted to keep on crashing because I knew someone else would cover me.” Garcia said.

Tristan Kunec is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email tqk5432@psu.edu.