By Michael Heilman

The Connecticut Whale headed to the ProSkate Ice Arena Saturday night against the Metropolitan Riveters, still searching for their first win of the season.

Twenty-seconds into the first period, the Riveters went on a power play on a body-checking call against Whale’s defenseman Shannon Doyle. However, the Riveters were unable to score. The Riveters then committed two penalties within a minute apart, but the Whale’s were unable to take advantage of either of them.

The Riveters found themselves going on their second power play of the game on another body-checking call against Whale’s defenseman Shannon Doyle. This time, the Riveters cashed in at fourteen minutes and fifty-seconds as Kendall Cornine scored to give the Riveters a 1-0 lead with an assist from Rebecca Morse. Doyle would commit one more penalty with under two minutes left. The Riveters were going to start the second period with five seconds left on the power play and led 1-0 at the end of the first period. Both of these teams were physical in the first period.

The Whale’s were able to tie the game 1-1 two minutes and forty-five seconds in the second period on a goal by Sarah Schwenzfeier with an assist from Kaycie Anderson. The Whale’s were going on their third power play of the game after an interference call against Riveters forward Madison Packer. The Whale’s were unable to capitalize on the power play. However, with under a minute left in the second period, the Whale’s took their first lead of the game on a goal scored by Kendra Broad with an assist from Brinna Dochniak to give Connecticut a 2-1 lead at the end of the second period. The Whale’s were doing a great job covering the ice preventing the Riveters from scoring and had momentum heading into the third period.

The Riveters were able to tie the game 2-2 twelve minutes and four-seconds into the third period as Kendall Cornine scored her second goal of the game with an assist from Madison Packer. The Riveters regained the lead 3-2 with two minutes to play on a goal by Brooke Avery with assists from Kelly Nash and Tatiana Shatalova. The Whale’s had magic up their sleeves forty-seconds later, they tied the game 3-3 as Hanna Beattie scored with an assist from Grace Klienbach. The game was headed to overtime tied 3-3.

Two minutes and twenty-seven seconds into overtime, Whale’s forward Kendra Broad delivered the Whale’s first win of the season shooting the puck that went over the shoulder of Riveters goalie Sam Walther and in for the game-winning goal. What a hard-fought victory for the Connecticut Whale as they defeated the Metropolitan Riveters 4-3 in overtime.

The Riveters had a total of forty shots on goal, and the Whale’s had twenty-six. Riveters goalie Sam Walther saved twenty-two of twenty-six shots allowing four goals, and Whale’s goalie Brooke Wolejko made thirty-seven of forty saves allowing three goals.

Connecticut will now head to the Warrior Ice Arena to take on the undefeated Boston Pride Sunday at 2:30 pm. The Riveters will play Monday, January 20th, at 1:30 pm against the Boston Pride at the Warrior Ice Arena.