Score: #4/5 Elmira College 5 – Utica College 2
Records: Elmira (14-2-3, 11-0-1 ECAC West), Utica (9-8-1, 4-6-1 ECAC West)
Location: Murray Athletic Center – Pine Valley, N.Y.
 
PINE VALLEY, N.Y. -- After skating to a 2-2 overtime tie in Utica, New York, yesterday afternoon, the No. 4/5 ranked Elmira College women's ice hockey team responded with a clinical 5-2 victory over Utica College at the Murray Athletic Center. The win kept Elmira atop the ECAC West Conference standings at 11-0-1, while the victory also extended the Soaring Eagles' unbeaten streak to eight contests.
 
It only took Elmira 1:15 to score the game's first goal, as Katie Granato '19 tallied her 11th of the season. Maddie Evangelous '19 began the scoring play with a pass to Kristin Chivers '19 behind the Elmira cage. Chivers wrapped around the net and snapped a long outlet pass to Granato in the neutral zone, setting up a 1-on-1 with Utica's Keira Goin. Granato made one deke before burying the puck top shelf for the game-opening score.
 
The Soaring Eagles added to their lead just about seven minutes later on a well-executed faceoff play. Following an offensive-zone faceoff win by Johanna Eidensten '17, freshman blueliner Kiana Melvin '20 fired a shot from the point that beat Goin through the five hole to put Elmira on top 2-0.
 
Melvin's tally held up through the end of the first period, as the Purple and Gold skated into the first intermission with a 2-0 lead.
 
In similar fashion as yesterday's away matchup, the Pioneers cut the Elmira lead to 2-1 with a second-period tally. Elizabeth Dohner found the back of the cage by punching in a loose puck just outside of the crease at the 13 minute mark. Gabrielle Schnepp was credited with an assist on the goal, as her initial feed into slot set Donher up for the score.
 
A high-sticking penalty on Jane Pagano at 15:05 put Elmira's power-play unit on the ice for the third time this afternoon. After coming up empty on its first two chances, EC would break through on its third opportunity, as captain Johanna Eidensten '17 knocked-in the power-play score to put the Soaring Eagles back on top by two goals, 3-1, at the 16:10 mark. Meg Lahey '19 and Louisa Lippiatt Durnell '18 were credited with assists on the goal. Lippiatt Durnell sent a pass from point-to-point to Lahey, where she fired a shot that was initially saved, but Eidensten was there to follow up the miss with her fifth goal of the season.
 
Elmira maintained its two-goal lead through the rest of the second period and for the majority of the third, until Utica's Emily Coope cashed in on a Pioneer power play with 3:24 remaining in regulation. Passes from Danielle Haasbeek and Jane Pagano set Coope up with an open look from the high slot, where she laced a low-lining show past a screened Kecley Crawford '18, cutting the EC lead to 3-2.
 
The Soaring Eagles answered just over a minute later with a goal from Evangelous, extending the EC lead back to two goals. Maddy Jerolman '19 began the scoring play with an outlet pass from Elmira's defensive zone to Granato. From there, Granato carried the puck into the Utica zone, before sliding a pass cross-ice to Evangelous on the far post. Evangelous one-timed the puck into the open netting for her ninth tally of the season.
 
Utica opted to pull its goaltender late in the third in hopes of staging a comeback, however, the Soaring Eagles took advantage of the empty net and put today's contest out of reach with their fifth goal of the evening. Granato punched in the empty netter, while Sarah Hughson '18 picked up an assist.
 
In His Own Words…
Head Coach Tim Crowley on finishing the regular season series vs. Utica with a victory…
"It's huge for us, obviously being at home. You want to get those two points in league play, especially how tight of a game it was yesterday (in Utica). For us to get those two points is very important."
 
Coach Crowley when asked about his message to the team at the first intermission to avoid losing momentum with a 2-0 lead…
"I just told them when we were in the room that we want to keep playing the way we were. Yesterday, we got away from our team structure and systems a little bit, and it ended up costing us in the long run. We want to play within ourselves and continue being system-strong."
 
Coach Crowley on Kiana Melvin scoring her first career goal…
"It was a big goal for us to make it 2-0. We had won the draw, walked the line a little bit, and she was able to pick her spot. It's always nice to see someone score their first collegiate goal and the girls were excited for her to get it."
 
Coach Crowley on the importance of finishing with a power-play goal…
"It's such a momentum swing for us when we are able to cash in on our power plays, which we have as of late. It seems like it brings the bench up a little bit and it brings our energy up as well."
 
Coach Crowley talks about winning the regular season series against Utica and remaining unbeaten in ECAC West play…
"Every game is important. We try to take it day-by-day. Record-wise, it is always great to get the win and the two points in league play. We're trying to position ourselves to win the regular season title and that's a big goal for us."
 
Turning Point
Following a Utica goal late in the third period, Elmira's lead did not look as stable as it did in the earlier sessions. However, Elmira's Maddie Evangelous put today's game to bed with a beautiful goal on a 3-on-1 rush just 1:04 after the Pioneers scored to make it a one-goal game.  
 
Inside the Box Score

• Elmira held a 33-to-26 advantage in shots on goal.
• EC was whistled for two penalties and four penalty minutes.
• The Pioneers were called for four infractions for eight penalty minutes.
• The Soaring Eagles went 1-for-4 on the power play, while Utica was 1-for-2.
• Granato led all skaters with three points on two goals and one assist.
• Eidensten and Evangelous both finished with two points apiece on one goal and one helper.
• Melvin scored her first career goal at the 8:11 mark of the first period.
• Chivers, Jerolman, Lippiatt Durnell, Lahey and Hughson all logged one assist.
• Schnepp, Haasbee and Pagano all earned assists.
• Crawford made 24 saves in a winning effort for Elmira.
• Goin finished with 28 saves in 59:40 of work between the pipes.

 
News and Notes

• Elmira remained atop the ECAC West standings with today's win and improved to 11-0-1 in league play.
• EC extended its regular season unbeaten streak against the Pioneers to 18 straight games.
• The Soaring Eagles have scored at least one power-play goal in seven of their last eight contests.
• Elmira remained unbeaten on its home ice with a 6-0-1 record at the MAC.
• EC hosted the YMCA Wildlife Princesses for a post-game meet-and-greet.
• Melvin scored her first collegiate goal for the Soaring Eagles.
• Granato logged her fourth multi-goal effort of the season and fourth three-point performance as well.
• Granato tallied twice to push her season goal total to 12, a mark that leads the team.
• Eidensten scored her team-leading fourth game-winning goal of the season.
• Lahey has registered at least one point in seven of Elmira's last eight games.
• Lippiatt Durnell has logged at least one point in six of EC's last seven contests.

 
Up Next
Elmira is back on action on Friday, February 3rd, when the Soaring Eagles host the Lakers of Oswego State at the Murray Athletic Center for a 7:00 p.m. ECAC West showdown.