HARRISVILLE, R.I.—Sophomore Erin Gehen (West Seneca, NY/W. Seneca West) tallied her first collegiate hat trick, including a pair of shorthanded goals, and added an assist to lead Buffalo State to a 6-2 victory over host Nichols College tonight in the opening game of the Puck Drop Classic.
 
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Buffalo State – 6, Nichols College - 2
LOCATION:  Levy Rink – Harrisville, R.I. (Nichols College Puck Drop Classic)
RECORDS:  Buffalo State (1-0), Nichols (0-1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Nikki Kirchberger (Buffalo, NY/W. Seneca West) added a goal and an assist for Buffalo State, while Christine Harris (Mountain Top, PA/Wyoming Seminary) and Hannah Desjarlais (Cold Lake, AB/Holy Rosary) also scored, and Maddie Toczek (N. Tonawanda/Starpoint) had a pair of assists.
• The Bengals controlled play from the opening faceoff, but only managed a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission on an early goal by Harris.
• Buffalo State scored twice in a span of 1:46 midway through the second frame to push the lead to 3-0 with Gehen's first and a power-play marker by Kirchberger.
• Nichols cut the deficit to 3-1 with a power-play goal of its own before the second intermission.
• Dejarlais's first collegiate goal in the third, and Gehen's first of two unassisted shorthanded goals put the game out of reach in the final frame.  The Bison did add a second power-play goal.
• Buffalo State outshot Nichols 51-19 for the game. 
• The Bengals finished 1 for 5 on the power play, and Nichols was 2 for 8, but also allowed two shorthanded goals.
• Megan Sackett (Williamsville, NY/A.N. Myer (ON)) made 17 saves for the win.

 
FOR THE FOES

• Samantha Mead and Olivia Knight scored for Nichols. 
• Lindsay O'Connell finished with 41 saves on 46 shots, while Cassandra Goyette allowed on goal on five shots in relief.

 
UP NEXT
Buffalo State will wrap up the Nichols Puck Drop Classic tomorrow against Plymouth State at 12:40 p.m.