College Hockey Stats Box Score

Plattsburgh, NY -- The Elmira College women's ice hockey team put themselves in the driver's seat for home ice throughout the ECAC West Conference Tournament as they completed the weekend sweep at the Stafford Ice Arena with a 6-2 win over No. 1 Plattsburgh State Sunday afternoon. EC handed the Cardinals both their first two-game losing streak and their first two-game home losing streak since the 2011-12 season.
 
Special teams and defense were the main drivers behind today's success as the Soaring Eagles scored one power-play goal and two short-handed goals while again limiting the Cardinals to well-below their season scoring average. Kyle Nelson '17 had another strong performance between the pipes for EC as she followed-up yesterday's career-high 36 saves with a new career-high of 39 saves. Plattsburgh outshot Elmira, 41-39, and also earned four power-play opportunities compared to EC's three, but neither of those statistics mattered with the effort put forth by the Purple and Gold defense and Nelson.
 
It appeared that the Soaring Eagles knew what was on the line from the opening faceoff as EC imposed their will early in the first period. The Purple and Gold put three quick shots on goal, but it was their fourth, just 2:30 into the game, that would put EC on the board first. Putting home the score was Erin Weston '15, who finished off a 2-on-1 rush with Ashley Ryan '15 for the score.
 
Elmira did not let off the gas pedal after scoring the game's first goal, putting another three shots on goal before Plattsburgh's Shannon Stewart was whistled for a penalty at the 5:16 mark of the first period. The Soaring Eagles worked the man-up advantage to perfection as Jessica Prance'17 made it a 2-0 game just over a minute later. Anna Tude '17 and Louisa Lippiatt Durnell '18 were the players credited with setting-up Prance's goal. Play continued to favor Elmira, but a Ryan penalty gave Plattsburgh their first real scoring opportunity of the game.
 
EC's penalty-kill unit held strong for over a minute of the power play, but a shot from the point by Plattsburgh's Alyssa Park bounced off a couple Elmira defenders and got past Nelson, making it a 2-1 game with just over seven minutes left to play in the opening period. The Cardinals appeared to be rejuvenated after Park's goal, but despite power-play opportunities for both teams, and a combined seven shots, the score remained 2-1 after the first period of play.
 
Play was balanced to start the second period, but Plattsburgh was given an opportunity to even the score with their second power-play opportunity of the afternoon after McKenna Farole'16 was whistled for a penalty. The Cardinals sent a flurry of shots at Nelson in the early portion of the power play, but instead of tying the game at 2-2, Plattsburgh found themselves trailing 3-1 after Ashton Hogan'15 scored her fifth shorthanded goal, and 24th overall, of the season. Sydney Fischer'17 put a shot on target that was saved by Camille Leonard, but the rebound was there for Hogan to clean up and give EC a two-goal advantage. The two teams combined for 34 shots in the second frame, 21 by Plattsburgh and 13 by Elmira, but Hogan's goal would be the only score of the period as the Purple and Gold maintained their 3-1 lead.
 
The Cardinals struck quickly in the third period, making it just a one-goal game with nearly an entire period left to play. Plattsburgh again looked to be in a prime position to tie the game after Farole was called for her second penalty of the game, but just like in the second period, Elmira's penalty-kill unit stood up to the task, and then some, as Hogan scored her second shorthanded goal of the game. Hogan's shorthanded goal came just 25 seconds into Plattsburgh's power play and swung the momentum back in EC's favor.
 
An insurance goal from Arianna Smith'18 made it 5-2 with less than 10 minutes to play and all but put the game out of reach. Smith's goal came on a quick shot from the slot and was assisted by Anna Tude'17 and Louisa Lippiatt Durnell'18. Then, after Plattsburgh pulled their goalie with nearly five minutes left in regulation, Ryan sealed the Elmira victory with an empty-net goal. Weston returned the favor for Ryan, setting up the empty-netter with a centering pass to Ryan after winning the puck on the boards. Following that score, the Soaring Eagles were able to just run out the clock on their 6-2 victory.
 
The Purple and Gold will look to remain undefeated in ECAC West play next weekend as they compete in a home-and-home series with Buffalo State. EC travels to Buffalo State on Friday, February 6th for a 4:00 p.m. game before coming home to face the Bengals at 3:00 p.m. the following day.