Darkangelo’s hat trick helps Whale top New York for ninth win

Shiann Darkangelo had 3 goals Sunday including two shorthanded goals

NEW YORK, Jan. 3 – Shiann Darkangelo scored a hat trick to lead the Connecticut Whale to a 6-1 win over the New York Riverters Sunday night. The Whale (9-1) increased their lead in the National Women’s Hockey League over second place Boston (7-3-1) to three points.

With her three goals, Darkangelo now leads the league in goals with nine on the season. Darkangelo scored a shorthanded goal in the first period off an assist from Kelly Babstock to give Connecticut a 1-0 lead. She added two more in the second period. Darkangelo scored a second shorthanded goal off an assist from Babstock and added a third goal five minutes later to give Connecticut a 3-1 lead.

Darkangelo and Kelli Stack missed last Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Boston because they were participating in U.S. Hockey’s world championship selection and training camp in Minnesota. Darkangelo has scored five goals in her last two games against New York. Stack finished with a goal and an assist in Sunday night’s victory.

Playing in net for the second straight game, Whale goalie Nicole Stock made 25 saves in net to earn her second win of the season.

Connecticut added three more goals in the third period with goals from Shannon Doyle, Babstock and Kelli Stack. Connecticut scored a team-record six goals for the second time this season. The Whale had six goals in a 7-6 shootout win in overtime over Buffalo earlier in the season. The Whale scored six goals in regulation and overtime and picked up another point for winning the shootout.

Fans in the central and southern part of the state will have an opportunity to see the Whale on Saturday when Connecticut hosts New York at Yale’s historic Ingalls Rink at 7:30 p.m. Connecticut also hosts Buffalo on Sunday at 6 p.m. at Chelsea Piers Arena in Stamford.

Connecticut 6, New York 1
At New York
Connecticut (9-1)             1  2  3  — 6
New York (3-6-1)             1  0  0  — 1
First period – Connecticut 1, Shiann Darkangelo (Kelly Babstock), 6:37 pp; New York 1, Lyudmila Belayakova (Celeste Brown, Bray Ketchum), 15:31 pp; Penalties: Michaela Long (Connecticut), 4:50; Elena Orlando (New York), roughing, 8:28; Madison Packer (New York), cross checking, 11:54; Morgan Fritz-Wald (New York) cross check from behind, 18:30
Second period – Connecticut 2, Darkangelo (Babstock) 4:00 sh; Connecticut 3, Darkangelo (Jordan Brickner), 8:44; Penalties: Brittany Dougherty (Connecticut), roughing, 2:01; Babstock (Connecticut), tripping, 17:32
Third period – Connecticut 4, Shannon Doyle (Kaleigh Fratkin, Stack), 3:10; Connecticut 5, Babstock (Alyssa Wohlfeiler), 12:11 sh; Connecticut 6, Stack (Jessica Koizumi), 18:46 empty net; Penalties: Packer (New York), roughing, 4:56; Danielle Ward (Connecticut), charging, 7:18; Dougherty (Connecticut), roughing, 11:31; Long (Connecticut), charging, roughing and game misconduct, 13:00; Ashley Johnston (New York) roughing, 13:00
Shots on goal: Connecticut 23 (8-9-6), New York 26 (9-7-10)
Goalies: Nicole Stock, Connecticut (W, 2-1), 26 shots, 25 saves; Nana Fujimuto (L), New York, 18 shots, 14 saves; Jenny Scrivens, New York, 4 shots, 3 saves

NWHL standings
                            W-L-T     OL    Pts,
Connecticut          9-1-0     0       18
Boston                  7-3-1     1       15
New York              3-6-1     1       7
Buffalo                  2-7-2     2       6
Thursday, Dec. 31
Boston 1, Montreal 1, exhibition
Sunday, Jan. 3
Buffalo 4, Boston 3, OT
Connecticut 6, New York 1
Saturday, Jan. 9
New York vs. Connecticut at Yale’s Ingalls Rink, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 10
New York at Boston, 3 p.m.
Buffalo at Connecticut, 6 p.m.