Score: #5/5 Elmira College 4 – #7/8 Oswego State 0
Records: Elmira (15-2-3, 12-0-1 ECACW), Oswego (15-5-0, 9-4-0)
Location: Murray Athletic Center – Pine Valley, N.Y.
 
PINE VALLEY, N.Y. -- In a crucial ECAC West Conference matchup featuring a pair of top-10 nationally-ranked teams, it would be No. 5/5 Elmira College women's ice hockey that would prevail with a 4-0 shutout victory over No. 7/8 Oswego State. The Soaring Eagles scored twice in the second and third periods to secure tonight's win, while Kelcey Crawford '18 made a career-high 36 saves en route to her eighth victory of the season.
 
After a scoreless first period, Elmira was able to break through for two scores in the second period. Sarah Hughson '18 tallied first for the Soaring Eagles just 41 seconds into the second stanza with her sixth goal of the season. Rachel Grampp '18 began the scoring play with a pass to Katie Granato '19 in the high slot, where she turned and sent the puck towards the cage. Hughson cut across the mouth of the goal to intercept the puck, before backhanding it over Oswego's Mariah Madrigal for the score.
 
Ari Smith '18 added to the Soaring Eagle lead just over six minutes later at the 7:02 mark. Jessica Prance '17 fought for the puck along the left-side boards and won the battle by poking the puck out of a scrum to Smith. From there, Smith carried it into the high slot before going bar-down for Elmira's second goal of the night, putting EC on top 2-0 heading into the final intermission.
 
The Lakers came out in the third period with hopes of getting back into the game by testing EC's starting netminder, Crawford. Oswego outshot Elmira 22-to-8 in the final frame, but Crawford turned away each attempt to keep the Lakers scoreless for an entire 60 minutes.
 
With Crawford and her blueliners holding the Oswego offense scoreless, EC's forwards made good on two of their eight third-period shot attempts to solidify a 4-0 Soaring Eagle victory.
 
Captain Johanna Eidensten '17 found the back of the cage first at the 7:26 on an Elmira power play. A loose puck behind the cage was won by Hughson, who kicked it out to Maddy Jerolman '19, who was all alone near the left pipe. Jerolman quickly sent a pass to Eidensten in the slot, who one-timed it over the glove of Madrigal for her sixth tally of the season.
 
With the game coming to a close, Oswego pulled its goalie to play with an extra skater. Third-year forward Louisa Lippiatt Durnell '18 took advantage of the empty net, after intercepting a pass and firing it into the back of the cage from center ice with 46 ticks left on the clock.
 
Turning Point
Elmira's offense was limited to just four shots on goal in the first period, the second-lowest single-period shot total of the season, which helped Oswego skate into the first intermission with a 0-0 tie. However, Elmira came out of the gates hot and scored just 41 seconds into the second stanza thanks to a goal from Ari Smith. The Smith goal sparked the EC forwards to score four unanswered goals en route to its 12th conference win of the season.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Despite being shutout, the Lakers held a 36-22 advantage in shots.
• The Soaring Eagles were called for three penalties for a total of six penalty minutes.
• Oswego was called for four infractions for eight penalty minutes.
• EC went 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Lakers went 0-for-3.
• Hughson led all skaters with two points on one goal and one assist.
• Eidensten, Smith and Lippiatt Durnell finished as Elmira's other goal scorers.
• Grampp, Jerolman, Granato, and Prance were all credited with assists. 
• Crawford made 36 saves between the pipes for EC.
• Madrigal stopped 18 shots for the Lakers.

 
News and Notes

• The Soaring Eagles maintained their unbeaten record in ECAC West play, improving to 12-0-1.
• EC extended its streak of beating the Lakers to 13-straight contests.
• Elmira has scored at least one power-play goal in eight of their last nine games.
• The Soaring Eagles remained unbeaten on its home ice with a 7-0-1 record at the MAC.
• Crawford set a new career high with her 36 saves in tonight's contest.
• The last Soaring Eagle to record at least 36 saves was Kyle Nelson '17, who recorded 39 on February 1, 2015, in a matchup against Plattsburgh State.
• Crawford also recorded her team-leading fifth shutout.
• Tonight's game was Hughson's second multi-point outing of the season.
• Eidensten scored her third power-play goal of the season.
• With an assist, Jerolman extended her point streak to four games.

 
Up Next
The Soaring Eagles will look to sweep the season series with the Lakers tomorrow afternoon, as Elmira clashes with Oswego at the Murray Athletic Center at 3:00 p.m.