Score: Elmira College 2, Buffalo State 1 (OT)
Records: Elmira (5-0-0, 5-0-0 ECAC West), Buffalo State (4-2-1, 3-2-0 ECAC West)
Location: Buffalo, N.Y. -- Buffalo State Ice Arena

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Sarah Hughson '18 scored the game-winning overtime to propel the No. 3-ranked Elmira College women's ice hockey team over ECAC West foe Buffalo State by a final score of 2-1 on Friday and extend the Soaring Eagles' unbeaten streak to five games to start the 2016-17 season.

Although the Soaring Eagles outshot the Bengals by a wide 31-to-18 margin in regulation, the two teams skated to a 1-1 draw through the first 60 minutes of action. Elmira peppered Buffalo State goalie Justine Silva with eight shots on goal in the opening period, but the junior netminder stood on her head to preserve the early tie.

EC earned the first power-play opportunity in the closing seconds of the first period, when Christine Harris was penalized for checking at the 19:45 mark. The Soaring Eagles only managed to release two shots during the two-minute infraction, one of which was saved and another that was blocked. However, just 14 seconds after Harris returned to the ice, Katie Granato '19 gave Elmira a 1-0 lead. Louisa Lippiatt Durnell '18 and Maddie Evangelous '19 received assists on the go-ahead goal.

Once again in the third, the Purple and Gold outshot the Bengals by a wide margin, 14-to-6, but were unable to find the back of the net, as Silva stopped all 14 attempts. Meanwhile, the Soaring Eagles were taxed with consecutive penalties midway through the period. EC killed the first without surrendering a shot to the Bengal offense, but Buffalo State cashed in when Meg Lahey '19 was sent to the box for inference.  Brooke Krantz tied the game 48 seconds into the power play at 13:38, which would send the game into the extra session.

Hughson and the Soaring Eagles needed 2:48 to tally the game winner in overtime. The third-year forward from East Haddam, Connecticut, was positioned perfectly to tip an outside shot from Granato past the Buffalo State goalie. Freshman Kiana Melvin '20 also earned an assist on Hughson's winning goal.

Turning Point
The Soaring Eagles' offense fired a game-high 14 shots in the third period, but the flurry wasn't enough for EC to produce a much-needed insurance goal. Instead, the Bengals scored on one of their two power-play shots of the period, forcing overtime. Fortunately for Elmira, Granato and Hughson connected for the game-winner in the extra period to keep Elmira's record unblemished at 5-0-0.

In Their Own Words...
Interim head coach Tim Crowley on the hard-fought overtime victory...
"I told the team all week that it'd be a good test for us, especially with how quick their forward group is. We're excited to find a way to win against a good Buffalo State team."

Coach Crowley on the performance of Katie Granato...
"Katie played a great 200-foot game and came up with some big plays on both sides of the puck. She scored a big first goal and was a key reason why we got the winner in overtime."

Coach Crowley when asked how it feels to earn the first win in his first game at the helm of the Elmira College women's ice hockey team...
"I feels good to get the win, but the credit goes to the team. They found a way to win that one."

Coach Crowley on his expectations for the series finale tomorrow afternoon...
"I expect the same thing tomorrow, a team that will challenge us and attack with speed. I certainly expect a tough test again tomorrow.

Inside the Box Score

• Elmira finished with a significant advantage in shots on goal over Buffalo State, 32-to-19.
• EC went 0-for-3 on the power play, while the Bengals finished 1-for-4.
• The Soaring Eagles were hit with four penalties for eight minutes.
• Buffalo State was assessed a trio of infractions for six minutes.
• Granato scored the first goal for Elmira and won a team-high 11 faceoffs.
• Hughson netted the game-winning goal in overtime.
• Granato, Evangelous, Lippiatt Durnell and Melvin each earned assists for EC.
• Kyle Nelson '17 made 18 saves and allowed just one goal.
• Krantz scored the lone goal for the Bengals.
• Silva made 30 saves and surrendered a pair of goals in a losing effort.

News and Notes

• No. 3 Elmira is 5-0-0 overall and inside ECAC West play.
• Interim head coach Tim Crowley earned his first victory at the helm of the Elmira women's program.
• The game-winner was the fourth of Hughson's career.
• Granato has scored goals in back-to-back games and upped her season total to four, tied for the most on the team
• Granato has scored a combined four points in the last two games.
• Lippiatt Durnell has extended her point streak to four straight games.
• Lippiatt Durnell increased her team lead in assists to seven.
• Nelson made a season-high 18 saves and improved to 4-0-0 on the season.
• Friday's game was the first to advance to overtime since the NCAA Tournament Semifinal against Wisconsin-River Falls on March 18, 2016.
• It marked the first overtime victory for Elmira since a 3-2 win over No. 6 Trinity College in the 2014-15 NCAA Quarterfinals.

Up Next
The third-ranked Soaring Eagles will conclude the season series against the Bengals tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. at the Buffalo State Ice Arena.