PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's hockey team looked well on their way to a victory in the UNO Pizzeria and Grill Cardinal-Panther Classic as they lead 4-1 with less than seven minutes left. But three Gustavus Adolphus goals two within a minute tied the game 4-4 Saturday night.
The Cardinals would get on the board quick as Melissa Sheeran scored eighty-eight seconds into the game, which would prove to be the only goal in the first period.
Sheeran received a pass from fellow freshman Kayla Meneghin behind the net. She then skated around into the slot on top of the crease before backhanding one into the net.
Plattsburgh State would strike again 5:53 into the second period when defender Mia Favretto would score her third of the season. The senior skated down from her right point post to send a slap-shot top-shelf after Bridget Balisy's initial shot was blocked.
The Golden Gusties would cut the lead in half as they lit the lamp for the first time 9:27 into the second. It was a sister connection that got Gustavus Adolphus on the board as younger sister Diana Draayer found older sister Carolyn Draayer on a cross ice pass before the ripped one home.
The Cardinals would answer though late in the second period when the top line of Jordan Lipson, Shannon Stewart and Balisy would put the Cardinals back-up by two at 3-1. Lipson took an initial shot before Stewart crashed on the rebound taking her own shot that resulted in another rebound opportunity for Balisy who found the back of the net.
The first half of the third would be quite before Andrea Ziesmann would score her first of the season much similar to the Favretto goal early in the game. The junior skated down from her defense-post after a Lipson wrap-around shot was saved that bounced out towards the left dot to Ziesmann who's slap-shot hit the twine.
Gustavus Adolphus would fight back after Leah Johnson scored off an Emily Reibert rebound with 6:44 left.
The Golden Gusties would then score two goals in within eleven seconds with 2:19 and 2:08 remaining in regulation respectively.
First was off a Plattsburgh State turnover as the Cardinals tried to clear their zone from behind the net was intercepted by Katy Fuller in the slot right on top of the crease who then beat Cardinals goalie Ally Ross.
Literally seconds later off the draw after the goal Carolyn Draayer would score her second of the game and more importantly tie the game up at 4-4 when her shot from on top of the right circle beat Ross five-hole.
After a scoreless five-minute overtime period that saw Plattsburgh State outshoot the Golden Gusties 3-0, the game moved into a shootout with the winner going to the Cardinal-Panther Classic championship game Sunday afternoon.
Erica Power was stoned by Ross in the first round while the Cardinals first shooter Meneghin scored.
After both goalies made saves in the second round, Gustavus Adolphus' Lydia Wagner extended the shootout after a successful goal.
However, The Cardinals would prevail in the shootout after sophomore Jordan Lipson roofed a backhander in the fourth round to advance in the Cardinal-Panther Classic.
Ross made 22 saves for the Cardinals while Golden Gusties goaltender Lindsay Hibbard made 38.
Plattsburgh State (7-0-2. 5-0-0 ECACW) will face ECAC West rival Elmira (7-0-0, 4-0-0 ECACW) in the Cardinal-Panther Classic at 4 p.m. in a nonconference game that will for sure have an ECAC West Tournament game feel to it as both teams ranked number one and two in the latest polls.
Gustavus Adolphus (5-0-1, 5-0-0 MIAC) will take on Middlebury (3-2-0, 3-1-0 NESCAC) in the third-place game that features the number four and five ranked teams respectively.
ELMIRA vs. MIDDLEBURY: Elmira Soars Past Middlebury, 4-1
Early in the evening the Elmira Soaring Eagles defeated the Middlebury Panthers 4-1.
Elmira scored early in the first at 16:06 when Erin Kishoni's shot from the point was deflected by Keri Pickel beating Panthers goaltender Annabelle Jones five-hole.
The Soaring Eagles would score again in the first as Callie Johnson collected the puck in front of the net on a scrum before she buried one to make it 2-0 after the first period.
Elmira wouldn't be done when 2:29 into the second period they would make it 3-0 on an Olivia Nystrom breakaway. The senior skated down the right side of the slot before sniping one stick-high.
Middlebury wouldn't go down quietly as they made it 3-1 on an Emily Fluke deflection off a Carly Watson shot on the power play.
The Panthers would go on to outshoot the Soaring Eagles in the second and third periods as they controlled momentum for stints of the game but were just unable to solve Elmira goalie Kyle Nelson.
Elmira would tack home a fourth goal on a power play of their very own with 2:09 left in the game. Louisa Lippiatt Durnell lugged the puck into the Panthers zone bringing it all the way behind Middlebury's net before swinging it to Anna Tude at the left point. Tude would slide a pass across ice to junior defenseman Phoebe Piku who moved the puck to the middle of the ice before sending in a shot that would be deflected by a Middlebury defender and into the net.
Shots were even in the game as both teams finished with 28. Elmira goalie Nelson moved to 2-0-0 on the season and made 27 saves while Jones dropped to 1-2-0 stopping 24 shots.
