Score: #1 Plattsburgh State 2 – #5 Elmira College 1
Records: Plattsburgh (25-1-1), Elmira (18-5-4)
Location: Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena – Plattsburgh, N.Y.
 
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The second-seeded Elmira College women's ice hockey team fell just short to top-seeded Plattsburgh State by a final score of 2-1 in the last-ever ECAC West Championship Game on Saturday afternoon at the Cardinals' Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena. 

Plattsburgh put the pressure on early, outshooting the Soaring Eagles 10-to-3 in the opening frame. Although the shot discrepancy may not seem that overwhelming, Elmira was held without a shot on goal until about 11 minutes into the first period.
 
The lopsided shot count paid off for the home team, as the top-seeded Cardinals struck for the game-opening goal at the 16:44 mark. EC's starting netminder, Kelcey Crawford '18, made the initial stop on a shot from Ashley Songin, but Kayla Meneghin was there to clean up the loose puck and punch it in for the score. Songin and Melissa Sheeran were credited with assists on the go-ahead strike.
 
Elmira would have its chances later in the first period, as Plattsburgh's Elizabeth Viola was whistled for tripping at 17:50, putting the Purple and Gold on the power play for nearly the remainder of the opening period. EC had a few good looks on the power play, including a rocket from point by Kristin Chivers '19 that was saved by Plattsburgh's Camille Leonard. Although Leonard stopped the shot, the puck was still loose in the crease and nearly trickled through the five-hole for the score. However, Leonard would fall backwards onto the puck to freeze it and neutralize the scoring threat.
 
The Soaring Eagles took it to the top-seeded Cardinals in the second stanza with an aggressive forecheck and bombardment of shots from all over the ice. EC's pressure forced several defensive zone turnovers by Plattsburgh, which put the Purple and Gold on the attack for the majority of the period.
 
Elmira's array of shots finally paid off 8:43 into the frame, when Shannon Strawinski '19 broke through for the score to level the contest at 1-1. Louisa Lippiatt Durnell '18 began the scoring play on the right side of the ice with a pass behind the cage Sarah Hughson '18, who was posted up behind the cage. From there, Hughson dumped the puck off to Strawinski, who showcased her quick hands by lifting the puck over Leonard's shoulder with the backside of her blade for her eighth tally of the year.
 
EC had several quality looks in the period, but were unable to come away with a goal. Plattsburgh had similar struggles on their end of the ice, but Elmira's Crawford made a handful of highlight-reel worthy saves to keep the Cardinals off of the scoreboard.
 
A penalty on Strawinski 1:21 into the third period put Plattsburgh's lethal power-play unit on the ice for a second time this evening. EC was 15 seconds away from killing the penalty, but Plattsburgh's Sheeran would bury the eventual game-winning goal at the 3:06 mark on an assist from Meneghin, to hand the Cardinals their fifth consecutive league title.
 
Inside the Box Score

• The Cardinals outshot Elmira 10-3 in the first period and 12-to-6 in the third, the two periods in which Plattsburgh scored a goal.
• EC held a 13-to-9 shot advantage in the second period, and the Soaring Eagles scored the lone goal of that period.
• The Soaring Eagles did not score a power-play goal on two chances, while the Cardinals finished 1-for-4 on the power play.
• Elmira was taxed with four penalties for eight minutes; Plattsburgh committed a pair of infractions for four minutes.
• Strawinski tallied EC's lone goal with assists from Hughson and Lippiatt Durnell.
• Meneghin and Sheeran each recorded two points with one goal and one assist for the Cardinals.
• Sheeran's third-period tally went down as the game-winning goal.
• Crawford made 29 saves between the pipes for the Purple and Gold.
• Leonard needed 21 saves to earn the win, including 12 in the second period, the most by either goalie in a single period in the title game.

 
News and Notes

• No. 5 Elmira falls to 18-5-4 on the season, while No. 1 Plattsburgh improves to 25-1-1.
• The Cardinals earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament by winning the 2017 ECAC West Tournament Championship.
• The tournament title is Plattsburgh's fifth in a row.
• By winning the last-ever ECAC West Tournament, Plattsburgh tied Elmira for the most tournament titles in conference history with seven apiece.
• Head-to-head in ECAC West Tournament Championship games, the Soaring Eagles are 7-5 against rival Plattsburgh.
• The Cardinals lead the all-times series against EC, 30-19-3.
• Elmira is just 7-22-1 all-time against the Cardinals in Plattsburgh, New York.
• Lippiatt Durnell was EC's lone selection on the ECAC West All-Tournament Team; the junior finished with a combined three points on two goals and one assist in the semifinal and final rounds.

 
Up Next
The Elmira women will have to wait until Monday morning's NCAA Selection Show to find out whether or not their season will continue, as the Soaring Eagles will need an at-large bid to qualify for the 2017 NCAA Division III Championships. The NCAA Selection Show is set for 10:00 a.m. and can be watched on NCAA.com.