Darkangelo, Stack help Whale top New York in regular season finale

Connecticut’s Kelli Stack, recently named to the U.S. team that will play in the World Championships, had two assists in Sunday night’s NWHL win over New York.

STAMFORD, Feb. 28 – Shiann Darkangelo scored her team-leading 10th goal of the year and Kelli Stack had two assists to lead the Connecticut Whale to a 4-2 victory over the New York Riverters in the final game of the regular season at Chelsea Pier in Stamford Sunday.

Connecticut, which has lost four of its last five games to Boston, snapped a two-game losing streak with the win. The Whale (13-5) will be the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Isobel Cup playoffs that begin Friday in Stamford. Connecticut will host No. 3 seed Buffalo (5-9-4) in a best-of-3 series. All three games will be in Stamford.

The Whale, which swept all six games from New York this season, took a 1-0 lead on a goal from Danielle Ward off a pass from Jordan Brickner. The Riveters tied the game when New York’s leading scorer Bray Ketchum (10 goals,4 assists) scored on a 5-on-3 power play with five seconds left in the first period.

Connecticut extended its lead to two goals, 3-1 in the second period on a power play goal from Darkangelo and a goal from Kelly Babstock. Stack had an assist on each goal and leads the squad with 14 assists.

New York cut the lead to one on a power goal from Kira Dosdall with 2:32 remaining in the period. But Connecticut was able to keep the Riveters off the board to secure the win. In just her second start, Connecticut goalie Shenae Lunberg made 25 saves to earn her second win of the season. Micaela Long added an empty net goal for Connecticut in the final minute.

Connecticut 4, New York 2
At Stamford
New York (4-12-2)      1  1  0 – 2
Connecticut (13-5)     1  2  1 — 4
First period
Connecticut 1, Danielle Ward 5 (Jordan Brickner), 8:23; New York 1, Bray Ketchum (Brooke Ammerman), 19:53 (pp); Penalties: Madison Packer (New York), roughing, 9:18; Kelly Babstock (Connecticut), roughing, 9:18; Kira Dosdall (New York), high sticking, 15:40; Babstock (Connecticut) cross checking, 16:26; Celeste Brown (New York), roughing, 18:55; Babstock (Connecticut) holding, 18:34; Alyssa Wohlfeiler (Connecticut), slashing, 19:30
Second period
Connecticut 2, Shiann Darkangelo 10 (Kelli Stack, Ward), 5:35 (pp); Connecticut 3, Kelly Babstock 9 (Stack, Molly Engstrom) 9:02; New York 2, Kira Dosdall (Ammerman), 17:28 (pp); Penalties: Shannon Doyle (Connecticut) roughing, 2:10; Beth Hanrahan (New York), roughing, 2:10; Doyle (Connecticut), interference, 11:57; Ward (Connecticut), cross checking, 17:30; Hanrahan (New York), interference, 17:34
Third period
Connecticut 4, Micaela Long 3, 19:11(en); Penalites: Wohlfeiler (Connecticut), 4:07; Kaleigh Fratkin (Connecticut), tripping, 6:12; Micaela Long (Connecticut), 13:52; Doyle (Connecticut), tripping, 15:38
Shots on goal: New York 27 (7-12-8), Connecticut 24 (8-8-8)
Goalies: New York – Chelsea Laden (L, 0-2) 23 shots, 20 saves; Connecticut – Shenae Lundnerg (W, 2-0) 27 shots, 25 saves

National Women’s Hockey League
                          W   L  OL
Boston               14  3  1
Connecticut       13  5   0
Buffalo                5  9   4
New York            4 12  2
Sunday’s results
Connecticut 4, New York 2
Boston 3, Buffalo 2
End of regular season

Isobel Cup playoffs
Connecticut vs. Buffalo
At Cheslea Pier, Stamford
Friday, March 4
Game 1: Buffalo at Connecticut, 7:10 p.m.
Saturday, March 5
Game 2: Buffalo at Connecticut, 7 p.m.
Sunday, March 6
Game 3: Buffalo at Connecticut, 6 p.m., if necessary

New York vs. Boston
At Raymond Bourque Arena, Beverly, MA
Friday, March 4
Game 1: New York at Boston, 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 5
Game 2: New York at Boston
Sunday, March 6
Game 3: New York at Boston, 7 p.m., if necessary

NWHL Championship
Isobel Cup
At Prudential Center practice facility, Newark, N.J.
Friday, March 11
Game 1: 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 12
Game 2: 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 13
Game 3: 1:30 p.m., if necessary

Final NWHL 2015-16 regular season statistics
POINTS                         G     A   Pts
Hilary Knight, Bos          15    18  33
Brianna Decker, Bos     14    15  29
Kelli Stack, CT                 8   14  22
Kelly Babstock, CT          9   13  22
Kelley Steadman, Buff   13    7   20
Jordan Smelker, Bos       9  10  19
K. Kunichika, Buff            9    8  17
Meghan Duggan, Buff    6   10  16
Kaleigh Fratkin, CT        5   10  15
Bray Ketchum, NY         10   4  14
Devon Skeats, Buff         9   5   14
Gigi Marvin, Bos             5   9   14
Jillian Dempsey, Bos      7   7   14
Brooke Ammerman, NY 4   10  14
Kacey Bellamy, Bos       2    12  14
Shiann Darkangelo, CT 10    3  13
Megan Bozek, Buff         3   10  13
Jordan Brickner, CT       0   13  13

GOALS                          G     A   Pts
Hilary Knight, Bos          15    18  33
Brianna Decker, Bos     14    15   29
Kelley Steadman, Buff   13    7    20
Bray Ketchum, NY         10    4    14
Shiann Darkangelo, CT 10    3    13
Kelly Babstock, CT          9   13    22
Jordan Smelker, Bos       9   10   19
Kunichika, Buff                9     8    17
Devon Skeats, Buff         9     5    14
Kelli Stack, CT                8    14    22
Jillian Dempsey, Bos      7      7    14
Amanda Pelkey, Bos      7      3    10

ASSISTS                        G     A   Pts
Hilary Knight, Bos          15   18   33
Brianna Decker, Bos     14   15   29
Kelli Stack, CT                8    14   22
Kelly Babstock, CT         9    13   22
Jordan Brickner, CT       0    13   13
Kacey Bellamy, Bos       2    12   14
Kaleigh Fratkin, CT        5    10   15
Jordan Smelker, Bos       9   10   19
Meghan Duggan, Buff    6    10   16
Brooke Ammerman, NY 4    10   14
Megan Bozek, Buff         3    10   13
Emily Pfalzer, Buff          2    10   12

GOALIE GAA          W-L   GAA  SO
Brittany Ott, Bos        12-1   1.94    1
Nicole Stock, CT        4-1     2.62    0
Jamie Leonoff, CT     7-3     2.96    0
Nana Fujimoto, NY    4-8     3.28    0
B. McLaughlin, Buff   4-6     3.48    0