The Lindenwood women's hockey team opened the quarterfinal round of the CHA Tournament at the HarborCenter in Buffalo, N.Y. with a 3-2 victory over the Mercyhurst Lakers on Thursday afternoon. Lindenwood has now won postseason games in consecutive seasons, and will advance to the semifinals of the conference tournament for the first-time in program history.
 
After over 11 minutes of scoreless action to begin the first period, Mercyhurst scored the first goal of the afternoon to take a 1-0 lead. Megan Whiddon tallied the Laker goal at 11:08, sending Mercyhurst ahead by a one-goal margin.
 
The Mercyhurst lead was short lived, as Lindenwood's Sarah Bobrowski drew the Lady Lions even just 2:07 after the Lakers goal. Shannon Morris-Reade and Holly Dietzler recorded the assists on Bobrowski's first-period goal.
 
The teams would end the first period knotted at 1-1.
 
Lindenwood wasted little time grabbing a second-period lead, finding the back of the net just 11 seconds into the middle frame, the fastest goal to start a period in program history. Britannia Gillanders netted the record-breaking score for the Lady Lions, her team-leading seventh goal of the season. Lillian Marchant dished out the assist on the Lindenwood goal, which sent the team ahead 2-1.
 
As the game approached the halfway point of the second period, Mercyhurst evened the score on an even-strength goal from Callie Paddock at the 9:49 mark of period two.
 
With just under eight minutes remaining in the second period, Mercyhurst was whistled off the ice for a two-minute tripping minor, sending Lindenwood to its second power play of the afternoon. After failing to convert on its first opportunity earlier in the period, the Lady Lions scored with the one skater advantage and regained the lead. Bobrowski scored her second goal of the game, pushing Lindenwood in front by a score of 3-2. Morris-Reade and Gillanders notched the assists on the play.
 
The Lady Lions controlled play for the remainder of the second period and maintained the one-goal lead.
 
The third period saw action on both ends of the ice, but neither team was able to change the score. Mercyhurst had the advantage in shots for the period, but the score remained 3-2 in favor of Lindenwood as the period came to a close.
 
Lindenwood goaltender Jolene deBruyn made the start in goal, earning the first playoff victory of her career. deBruyn finished the game with 27 saves, including 13 during the second period.
Mercyhurst held the edge in shots for the game, 29-26. Bobrowski, Morris-Reade, and Taylor Girard each posted a team-leading four shots on goal.
 
Following the win, Lindenwood improves to 6-24-2 on the season. With the loss, Mercyhurst moves to 15-18-2. The Lady Lions will return to action in tomorrow's semifinal matchup with the Robert Morris Colonials. Puck drop is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. CT from the HarborCenter.