After the final siren at Saturday's game between the Penn State Lady Icers and University at Buffalo Freeze, the two bitter American Collegiate Hockey Association rivals slowly gather onto the ice and perform the customary postgame handshake.
During this time, and during the taking of the team photograph that will serve as commemorative to a highly probable season-ending ACHA East No. 1 seed, no one is smiling wider or brighter than sophomore winger and team captain Katie King.
And for good reason.
King, the ACHA's leading scorer, was absolutely electric on Friday night, netting five goals, including four in the final period. She followed Friday's performance with two beautiful goals and an assist on fellow forward Kate Specchio's first goal.
"It was just the kind of weekend where the puck seemed to bounce my way," King said.
King's goals on Friday rallied the troops. After about a 10-minute delay in the third period due to a scary injury to forward Lauren Shaw, King scored four goals in less than 10 minutes, including a sharp wrister from the blueline and a score on a break-away, going top shelf past the sprawling Freeze goalie.
Her goals Saturday were equally as impressive. King netted her first by breaking past a one-on-four after being fed by defender Faryn Shapiro just over a minute into the game. Her second goal came on the power play with another blueline screamer during the second frame.
King's play nearly left her team speechless.
"She was phenomenal," the normally garrulous Lady Icers coach Jeremy Sharpe said, shaking his head in disbelief.
"That's ... I don't even know what to say about her play. That was just so incredible."
Specchio, who benefited from Buffalo's focus on King by scoring two goals of her own Saturday, was equally in awe and added: "She's playing the best she has the whole season and at the time we need it with nationals coming up soon."
With the nationals in Michigan looming just over a month away, King said her focus is on team play and preparation for the battles ahead.
"I think we're ready for the playoffs," she said, still smiling nearly a half hour after the game.
"We just beat Buffalo four times, which is not easy at all."
It would have been a whole lot tougher if not for her.
