PITTSTON, PA (December 7, 2025) -- Despite an electrifying two-goal performance in the second period, a goal by Hood College in the final minute of regulation dashed the King's College women's ice hockey team's hopes in Sunday afternoon's Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) contest at Revolution Ice Centre. With the 3-2 defeat, The Monarchs move to 0-10-0 on the season and 0-8-0 in conference play. The win elevates Hood's record to 4-4-2 overall and 4-3-2 in the MAC.
 
Abby Barlocker provided King's their first shot on goal of the game at 4:17 of the first, followed less than a minute later by another bid by Melanie Baldwin Van Meer. After generating some offensive momentum, Hood responded by titling the ice in their favor; rattling off several shots.
 
Hayley Packer made several poised saves in net and picked up some assistance from Barlocker and Jerret Tietz, who both blocked shots to keep the contest scoreless through the midway point of the opening frame.
 
The Blazers got on the board at 12:56 to take a 1-0 lead. Both teams traded scoring opportunities throughout the remainder of the period, but the Monarch defense stood tall with Packer turning aside another shot while Alexis Jones and Caitlin Dube getting in the way of two more shots.
 
King's was assessed a tripping penalty in the final second of the period, setting Hood up for a power play with a clean sheet of ice to start the second.
 
The Monarch penalty kill unit did an excellent job keeping the puck away from Packer's crease at the start of the middle frame. The King's netminder denied the only shot she faced to successfully kill the penalty and return the game to even strength.
 
The Monarchs' offense came to life in the early stages of the second. After forcing a turnover in the offensive zone, Barlocker and Emma Heinrich both battled to gain possession in front of the net. Their efforts eventually kicked the puck out to Sammi Stead at the edge of the far faceoff circle. The junior wound up and fired a blistering wrist shot that found its way past the Hood goalie and into the back of the net. Barlocker and Heinrich were credited with assists on Stead's first of the season at 4:16.
 
Just over two minutes later, King's forced the Blazer netminder to freeze the puck to set up an offensive zone faceoff. After Maddie Vaughan tied up the Hood center on the draw, Amanda Sokol quickly jumped on the loose puck and snapped a low-angle shot that whistled by the goalie's mask and into the upper right corner of the net to give the Monarchs a 2-1 lead. Sokol's second goal of the season came with an assist from Vaughan at 6:21
 
Hood took a timeout and responded with a barrage of shots on goal, drawing a penalty in the process to go on another man advantage. Packer made 10 saves in a nine-minute stretch of play, including four consecutive stops on the Blazer power play to protect the Monarchs' one-goal lead.
 
The Blazers knotted things back up at 2-2 on an even strength goal at 16:40. King's headed to the power play shortly after the goal and went on an offensive surge, with Brenna Munn, Stead and Barlocker all creating scoring opportunities that were denied by the goaltender. Time in the middle frame expired with the score deadlocked at 2-2, leaving both teams searching for the go-ahead goal.
 
King's opened the third period with early momentum on shots from Riley Kumrow and Barlocker before Stead added two more attempts to pressure the Hood net.
 
Packer remained sharp throughout the frame, turning aside multiple dangerous looks as Hood pressed. The Monarchs killed off an interference minor at 3:54 with help from key blocks by Victoria Fleury-Wright and Tietz to keep the game level.
 
Hood continued to apply extended zone time, but Packer stood tall with a series of timely saves, including multiple breakaway opportunities. At the other end, Barlocker, Heinrich and Tietz countered with quality chances as King's worked to reclaim the lead.
 
A late King's penalty at 18:23 put the Monarchs' backs against the wall. Despite a strong effort throughout the kill, Hood broke through with a power play marker at 19:29 to take the lead.
 
King's used its timeout and pulled the goaltender for the final seconds but could not net the equalizer, sealing the hard-fought 3-2 loss.
 
Stead netted a goal for the Monarchs and shared the team lead in shots with Barlocker, as the duo registered five apiece. Sokol accounted for the second King's goal, while Barlocker, Heinrich and Vaughan all recorded assists.
 
Vaughan led the Red and Gold in the faceoff dot with 11 wins and Barlocker added eight of her own.
 
Barlocker also made large contributions in the defensive end, making a team-high four blocks. Fleury-Wright and Tietz followed with two each. Packer turned in another strong performance in goal, making 35 saves including key stops to keep the Monarchs in the game.
 
After a lengthy holiday break, King's returns to action on Friday, January 2 to host Rivier University in a two-game nonconference series. Puck drop from Revolution Ice Centre is slated for 7:00 p.m.