College Hockey Stats Box Score

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The No. 1/2 Plattsburgh State women's ice hockey team celebrated its seniors with a 4-1 Senior Day victory over Buffalo State on Sunday afternoon in Northeast Women's Hockey League (NEWHL) action at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena. It marked the last game of the regular season for both teams.
 
Plattsburgh State is ranked at No. 1 in the D3hockey.com Women's Top-10 Poll and No. 2 in the USCHO.com Women's Division III Top-10 Poll.
 
Prior to the start of the game, the Cardinals honored their four seniors: goaltender Brooke Wolejko (South Windsor, Conn./St. Lawrence University), defenseman Lizzy Viola (Williamsville, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) and forwards Kayla Meneghin (Clifton, N.J./The Gunnery) and Melissa Sheeran (Schaghticoke, N.Y./Millbrook School).
 
In addition, junior forward Courtney Moriarty (Estero, Fla./Northfield Mount Hermon) and Meneghin achieved statistical milestones during the game. Moriarty reached 100 career points with her first of two goals during the contest, while Meneghin tallied her 100th career assist on Moriarty's second goal of the game later on in the first period. Moriarty becomes the 14th Cardinal women's ice hockey student-athlete to reach the milestone, while Meneghin became just the sixth person in NCAA Division III women's ice hockey history to achieve 100 assists in a career.
 
Plattsburgh State rises to 21-2-2 overall (15-0-1 NEWHL) with the win and next hosts fourth-seeded SUNY Potsdam in the semifinal round of the NEWHL Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 3 p.m. Buffalo State falls to 13-10-2 overall (9-6-1 NEWHL) with the loss and hosts third-seeded Oswego State in the semifinal round of the NEWHL Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 3 p.m. The Cardinals earned the top seed in the tournament, while Buffalo State locked up the No. 2 seed.
 
Sheeran struck early, scoring on the Cardinals' first shot on goal of the day 3:23 into the game. Freshman defenseman Emma Killeen (Watertown, Conn./The Gunnery) passed the puck up to freshman forward Abby Brush (Mount Prospect, Ill./Chicago Young Americans) in the neutral zone, and Brush carried into the offensive zone along the right wing. Brush centered a pass to Sheeran in the high slot, and Sheeran ripped a shot over the goalie's blocker-side shoulder that went into the back of the net.
 
The Cardinals tacked on another exactly two minutes later, as Moriarty scored on the power play. Sophomore defenseman Hannah Kiraly (Glendale, Ariz./Northern Cyclones) sent a puck toward the net that went wide, and Meneghin passed into the slot from behind the goal line. Moriarty was slowly drifting toward the slot before hammering the puck home glove side. The goal, which wound up being the game-winner, extended Moriarty's Division III single-season record in game-winning goals to 13.
 
Buffalo State erased the shutout bid with an unassisted marker 9:22 into the first period. Senior forward Rachel Lenard entered the zone with the puck and fired a shot from the right face-off circle that clanged off the inside part of the post and was ruled a goal by the referee.
 
Moriarty added insurance with 14:01 elapsed in the first to make it a 3-1 game. Meneghin took control of the puck in the neutral zone, and she attempted a centering pass to Moriarty before it caromed off a Bengal skater and squirted toward the endboards. With the referee signaling for a delayed penalty, Meneghin played the puck out in front to Moriarty, and Moriarty scored from one knee.
 
Finally, with 13:18 gone in the second, freshman forward Annie Katonka (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Pens Elite) put the game on ice. Kiraly took a shot from the right point that went wide of the goal, and Sheeran picked up the puck in the left corner. Sheeren then skated into the slot and took a shot that was saved before Katonka buried the rebound right in front of the crease.
 
Plattsburgh State finished with a 35-28 edge in shots on goal, the two teams were whistled for a combined 21 penalties in a game that featured physical play. The Cardinals were 1-for-8 on the power play, while the Bengals were unable to convert on any of their five chances with the extra skater.
 
Wolejko turned aside 27 shots in net for Plattsburgh State, while senior goaltender Justine Silva made 31 saves for Buffalo State.