By Michael Heilman

The Connecticut Whale visited the ProSkate Arena Saturday night for game one against the Metropolitan Riveters.

Connecticut got the first goal of the game a minute and fifty-four seconds into the first period as Emma Vlasic snuck the puck just inside of Riveters goalie Sam Walther for the goal to put Connecticut up 1-0. Six minutes and fifty-three seconds later, the Riveters tied the game 1-1 as Kate Leary went upstairs with the backhand shot to the upper left corner of the net passing the shoulder of Whale’s goalie Brooke Wolejko. The game remained tied 1-1 as the first period ended with the Riveters outshooting the Whale’s thirteen to eleven.

There were no goals scored in the second period, but the action was in the penalty box as the Riveters committed three penalties while Connecticut only had one. Connecticut outshouts the Riveters nine to five in the second period.

The Riveters almost broke the tie with ten minutes and twenty-eight seconds left in the third period, but Connecticut goalie Brooke Wolejko denied Madison Packer’s shot to keep the game tied 1-1. Regulation time wasn’t enough as both teams headed to overtime tied 1-1. The Riveters outshout the Whale’s thirteen to eight in the third period.

The game couldn’t be settled in regulation time, so they went into a shootout. Both goalies denied every shot that came their way, so the shootout went into extra time. Connecticut forward Sarah Schwenzfeier faked a shot which dropped Sam Walther to score the game-winning goal and give Connecticut it’s second win of the season by the final score of 2-1.

Connecticut finished the night with twenty-nine shots while the Riveters had thirty-five shots. Connecticut went zero for three on the power play, and the Riveters were zero five. Connecticut goalie Brook Wolejko made thirty-four of thirty-five saves allowing one goal and Riveters goalie Sam Walther was twenty-eight of twenty-nine saves allowing one goal. Both of these teams will go at it again for game two Sunday at 4:30 pm from the ProSkate Arena.