Women’s Hockey Edged by Lancers in Conference Matchup

THE BASICS

Worcester State 1 vs. Salem State 0 

Records: 

Worcester State University (14-9-0) 

Salem State Vikings (6-12-2)

Location: Salem, MA

Date: Friday February 20^th, 2026

THE LEAD:
Behind a strong performance in net but unable to break through offensively, the Salem State Vikings dropped a hard-fought 1-0 game to the Worcester State Lancers in a back-and-forth conference battle. Worcester State capitalized on an early first-period opportunity for the game's lone goal, while the Vikings generated chances throughout but were kept off the board. Salem State made a late push with a 5-on-3 advantage in the final minute, but time expired before they could find the equalizer.

 HOW IT HAPPENED

 The Salem State Vikings battled hard in a tightly contested conference matchup against the Worcester State Lancers, but ultimately fell 1-0 in a game defined by strong defensive play and stellar goaltending on both ends.

Worcester State netted the lone goal of the game in the first period, capitalizing on an early opportunity to take a 1-0 lead. From that point on, the action went back and forth, with both teams generating quality scoring chances but unable to find the back of the net again.

Vikings goaltender Amy Thul would have an impressive performance between the pipes, denying multiple Lancers opportunities throughout the afternoon. Thul stood tall under pressure, making key saves to keep Salem State within one goal of the game. 

At the other end of the ice, the Lancers' goalie was equally strong, turning away repeated Salem State chances and protecting the narrow 1-0 lead. The Vikings pressed throughout the second and third periods, creating offensive zone time and testing the Worcester State defense.

The Viking's would have a key opportunity late in the third period when they built momentum in the attacking zone and the drew the Lancers to take two penalties. The Lancers were assessed two penalties, giving the Vikings a 5-on-3 advantage. Salem State called a timeout to draw up a final push, then pulled their goaltender to create a 6-on-3 advantage in a desperate attempt to find the equalizer.

Despite the extra skaters and sustained pressure in the closing moments, the Lancers' goalie held firm, making crucial saves as time worked against the Vikings. The final seconds ticked away with Salem State applying relentless pressure, but the Lancers would escape with the 1-0 conference victory in a hard-fought defensive battle.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: 

• Amy Thul would record 39 saves on 40 shots against the Lancers of Worcester State
• Mallory Albanese would lead the Vikings in shots taking 7 of them against the Lancers. 

UP NEXT:

The Vikings are back in action on Saturday February 21^st, 2026, where they look to travel to Framingham, MA to take on the Rams of Framingham State. This marks the last regular season game of the year. Puck drop is set to start at 7:50pm.