Plattsburgh State's forward Nicole Unsworth skates in on goal in the first minute of overtime to score the game-winner. The Plattsburgh State Women’s Hockey Team earned its ninth consecutive conference championship Saturday with a 4-3 overtime victory over SUNY Cortland in the New England Women’s Hockey League final.
The Cardinals found themselves on the back foot early, as the Red Dragons scored with the very first shot of the contest. Junior forward Dany Donegan was credited with the goal after getting a redirection on a shot from junior defenseman Molly McCabe at the 3:11 mark of the first period.
Plattsburgh pressed for much of the period, but the Cortland defense restricted the Cardinals to 7 shots on goal in the opening period, recording 6 shots themselves.
The Cardinals got the break they needed at the 4:11 mark of the second period when senior forward Sara Krauseneck took a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle that deflected off a defenseman’s stick and found its way into the goal just behind the far post. Graduate student Annie Katonka and senior defenseman Emma Killeen recorded assists on the tying goal.
The Red Dragons pulled out in front again in the middle of the second period, as freshman forward Destiny Bautista put the puck high glove side with assists credited to fellow freshmen Gillian Zwolak and Mia Klasnick, but the lead would not last long.
At 15:13 of the second period, Katonka leveled the game at 2-2 as she scored her 32nd goal of the season with a one-timer from the slot off a feed from junior forward Ivy Boric, with a secondary assist credited to freshman defenseman Mattie Norton.
The Cardinals took their first lead of the game at 18:37 of the second as junior forward Tatem Cheney got her stick on the puck in a crowded crease to put it in the net. Assists went to senior forward Taylor Whitney and freshman forward Riley Calhoun.
The Red Dragons drew back level in the third period after the Cardinals were called for the only penalty of the entire game. Graduate student Erin McArdle was called for the slash to deny a near breakaway, and senior forward Grace Schnorr made Plattsburgh pay with a blast from the right point that found the back of the net.
The level at three goals each, the teams went to the locker room to prepare for the overtime period.
The extra frame was short, though, as sophomore forward Mae Olshansky made a pass in the neutral zone that sent senior forward Nicole Unsworth in alone on goal in the first minute. As Unsworth skated in close, passing from left to right at the top of the crease, she managed to evade the poke check from NEWHL goaltender of the year Molly Goergen and slip the puck into the net on the blocker side to seal the win for the Cardinals.
Goergen made 32 saves in the loss for Cortland, while Plattsburgh’s Chloe Beaubien recorded 23 saves and the win.
With the win, the Cardinals earned an automatic qualification for the NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey tournament, in which they will host Colby College at 3 p.m. on March 12th.
Gallery

Plattsburgh State's forward Tatem Cheney carries the puck into the neutral zone ahead of Cortland forward Jillian HlasnickGallery

Plattsburgh State's Sara Krauseneck (25) with the short side attempt at the goal as part of a two-goal night. It would be the start of the playoff season at the Ronald B Stafford Arena as the #1 Plattsburgh State Cardinals would host the #4 Potsdam State Bears in the semi-finals of the NEWHL Championship. The home Cardinals would start the game fast and furious in front of the near 400 fans with three goals in the first four minutes of the game from Sara Krauseneck, Ivy Boric, and Annie Katonka and lead 3-0 after the first period. In the second the Cardinals would not let off the throttle as they would light the lamp three more times from Sara Krauseneck (second of the night), Nicole Unsworth, and Annie Katonka (second of the night) and have a 6-0 lead after the second period. In the third period, the Cardinals would add a couple more goals to put the icing on the cake from Kaitlin Drew-Mead and Tatem Cheney and secure the 8-0 win. In the winning effort, Chloe Beaubien would make 25 saves in the shutout victory as they advance to the NEWHL Championship against the Cortland State Red Dragons. Gallery

Plattsburgh State's Nicole Unsworth (20) slides in the rebound past the Potsdam State goaltender for the goal. Gallery

Plattsburgh State's Ivy Boric (19) setup for the one-timer goal and get the lead in the game. It would be the start of the last weekend of the regular season as the Plattsburgh State Cardinals would host the Buffalo State Bengals in a pair of games in NEWHL action. The game would start off close as the teams would be felling each other out and the lone goal of the first period as IVY Boric would score at the 15:17 mark. In the second period, the Cardinals would start to pull away as they would get three goals in the period from Taylor Whitney and Annie Katonka (twice) and take a 4-0 lead into the third period. In the third period, the dam would break and the Cardinals would flood the net with five goals from Sara Krauseneck, Mattie Norton, Taylor Whitney (twice and third of the night), and Riley Calhoun to secure the 9-0 win. In the winning effort, Chloe Beaubien would make seven saves for the shutout as they go to 21-2-1 on the season. Gallery

Plattsburgh State's Taylor Whitmey (34) with the tap in goal as part of the hat trick night. Gallery

Plattsburgh State's Ivy Boric (11) with the goal as they scramble in front of the net for the rebound. The Plattsburgh State's would finish off a two-game home series with North Country foe the Potsdam State Bears in NEWHL action. The Cardinals would start off good as they would get two goals in the first five minutes of the game from Annie Katonka and Mae Olshansky for the quick 2-0 lead. Then with six minutes left in the first period on the Emily Dellaneve to make it a 2-1 game. Then just 90 seconds later the Cardinals would regain their two-goal lead at 3-1 on Annie Katonka's second goal of the period. That is where the game would stay till there was 2:45 left in the second period when Annie Katonka would finish off her hat trick game and make it a 4-1 Cardinals game. In the third period, the Cardinals would once again start off fast with two goals in the first five minutes from Erin McArdle and Ivy Boric to make it a 6-1 game. Then halfway through the period, the Bears would add their second goal of the game on the powerplay from Megan Teachout to make it a 6-2. Then with just under six minutes left in the game, the Cardinals would put the icing on the cake with a goal from Tatem Cheney to secure the 7-2 win. In the winning effort, Lilla Nease would make 17 saves on the day as they go to 19-2-1 on the season as they head into their game against Canton on February 15th. Gallery

Plattsburgh State's Annie Katonka (47) digs out the puck behind the net and carries it around for the shot as part of a three goal night. Gallery

Plattsburgh graduate student Annie Katonka carries the puck into the offensive zone while being tracked down by Oswego Chyne Kennedy. The Plattsburgh State Women’s Hockey team earned a second straight win over the visiting SUNY Oswego, with a 4-1 score Saturday at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena.
The win came in a previously unscheduled non-conference game against the NEWHL opponent due to changes in schedules caused by COVID issues at other schools.
For the second straight game, it was the visiting Lakers who opened the scoring. Freshman Ashlyn McGrath carried the puck around the back of the net on a delayed penalty call before taking a shot from the faceoff circle to beat Plattsburgh goaltender Ashley Davis.
The goal proved to be the only one of the night for the away team, and Plattsburgh had drawn the score level before the end of the opening period. Senior forward Taylor Whitney tied the game for the Cardinals at 8:46 of the period with a one-timer off a feed from Nicole Unsworth from behind the goal line.
Plattsburgh took the lead midway through the second period off a powerplay goal from senior forward Sara Krauseneck, assisted by graduate students Erin McArdle and Annie Katonka. McArdle took a shot from the point before Krauseneck got on the rebound and put the puck home.
Plattsburgh junior forward Ivy Boric got the insurance goal with a shot through the five-hole off an assist from McArdle before the end of the period. The final score of the game came early in the third period as sophomore forward Mae Olshansky scored off the assist from Unsworth.
Oswego generated some consistent offensive pressure in the final minutes of the game, pulling goaltender Joanna Hiebert for the 6-on-4 powerplay advantage, but 4 blocked shots, two wide shots, two saves by Davis, and a shot hitting the post kept the score at 4-1 for the final buzzer.
Davis recorded 25 saves in the victory, while Hiebert stopped 30 of the 34 shots she faced in the loss.
Gallery.

Plattsburgh senior defenseman Emma Killeen looks to make a pass after entering the offensive zone, as graduate student Annie Katonka charges in toward the net. Gallery.