The Clinton Warriors pose for there team photo as they are crowned the 2020 NYSPHSAA Girls Hockey State Champions. In only its fifth year of play, Clinton Central’s girl's hockey program claimed its first NYSPHSAA Regional Championship title Sunday at Lake Placid’s Herb Brooks Arena. Up against the defending champion, Section VI’s Williamsville, the Lady Warriors earned the title with a strong defensive performance and a second straight 1-0 shutout by senior goaltender Hailey Millington. After one scoreless period of play, Clinton led the shots on goal count 4-1 despite Williamsville spending most of the period in the offensive zone. Clinton’s defense held firm, taking away shooting lanes and working on the transition. The second period saw increased offensive pressure by Williamsville, who outshot the Warriors 9-1 in the middle frame, but the Millington didn’t flinch. The deadlock was finally broken at 6:37 of the third period when Clinton captain Mia Lopata hit a one-timer from the blue line and found space just under the crossbar. Williamsville pressed for an equalizer, peppering Millington with 14 shots in the final period, but was unable to find the back of the net, and it was Clinton who piled on their goaltender in celebration at the final buzzer. Millington made a total of 24 saves in the shutout, while Williamville’s Mia Wendell stopped 12 of the 13 shots she faced. Gallery

Clinton goaltender Hailey Millington tracks the rebound after making a pad save en route to a 1-0 shutout win over Williamsville. Gallery

Clinton goalscorer Abby Kurdziolek wins a battle along the boards with Salmon River captain Rylee Garrow. The undefeated Section X girls hockey champion, Salmon River, faced off against a worthy opponent Saturday on the 1980 Olympic Rink at Lake Placid’s Herb Brooks Arena. In a tight NYSPHSAA Regional Semifinal contest, the Lady Warriors of Clinton Central knocked off the Shamrocks in a 1-0 upset. Salmon River entered the contest with a 20-0-2 record but faced the task of taking down the team that gave them one of those two ties, a 1-1 deadlock in December. Despite the narrow result, Clinton appeared in control for large portions of the contest, keeping the Shamrocks pinned in their own zone for long stretches and restricting the Section X Champions to only 1 shot in the first period. That shot did not come until the final minute of the opening frame. When Salmon River did get offensive possession, their defensemen were repeatedly beaten at the blue line by fast-skating forwards chipping the puck to themselves along the boards. The first significant scoring opportunity for either team came on the powerplay for the Warriors, as a shot from the high slot was tipped in from of Shamrocks goaltender Carli Cartier, but the puck sailed over the crossbar and the teams entered intermission knotted at 0. Clinton took the lead at the 4:45 mark of the second period on a similar play, as sophomore defenseman Abby Kurdziolek tipped in a shot from up high by freshman forward Drew Kopek. Just over a minute later, the Section III champions celebrated a second goal before the officials ruled the net had been dislodged. Salmon River started to generate more offensive pressure in the latter stages of the second frame, but went into the third period facing a 1-0 deficit, the Warriors led shots 15-6. The Shamrocks struggled against the Clinton defense in the final period, getting only three shots on goal. Salmon River’s best scoring chance of the game came midway through the third when Hannah Johnston and Jaryn Chubb appeared to have a clean break up the ice, only to be chased down by the defense and fail to beat goaltender Hailey Millington. The dueling senior goaltenders kept the game close throughout, as Cartier’s 18 saves on 19 shots were bested by Millington’s nine-save shutout. With the win, the Warriors advanced to the NYSPHSAA Regional Championship against defending champion Williamsville. Gallery

Salmon River captain Rylee Garrow drives into the offensive zone under pressure from Clinton defenseman Payton Cronk. Gallery