Elmira goaltender Leonie-Louise Kuehberger prepares as Plattsburgh graduate student Annie Katonka skates in alone for the shorthanded go-ahead goal late in the third period in the Northfield Savings Bank East-West Classic at Norwich’s Kreitzberg Arena. Plattsburgh State graduate student Annie Katonka stole the show with a hat trick in her return from injury as the Cardinals earned their revenge win, 4-3 over Elmira College in the first round of the Northfield Savings Bank East/West Classic at Norwich University’s Kreitzberg Arena.
Plattsburgh started strong early in the first period, sending a flurry of shots toward Elmira’s freshman goaltender Leonie-Louise Kuehberger, but it was the Soaring Eagles who broke through first, as junior forward Holley Riva found the back of the net near the midpoint of the period.
The opening goal started a frantic sequence in which the teams combined for three goals in just 1:19 of game time. Plattsburgh defenseman Kendall Wasik leveled the score with a snipe from the point before Elmira captain Eliza Beaudin broke forward to regain the lead.
Having given up two goals on five shots, Plattsburgh goaltender Ashley Davis - who had struggled in games against Endicott and Elmira two weeks ago - was done for the evening, as coach Kevin Houle opted instead for junior goaltender Chloe Beaubien.
A powerplay late in the first period helped the Cardinals tie the game before the intermission, as Katonka took advantage of a scramble in front of the Elmira goal to put the puck home.
The Soaring Eagles once again took the lead at 3:10 of the third period with Beaudin’s second goal of the night, but an Elmira penalty for too many players on the ice gave Katonka the chance to once again tie the game on the power play.
Elmira had an opportunity to retake the lead after the midpoint of the period, as two Plattsburgh penalties gave them a full minute of the 5-on-3 powerplay, but the Cardinals’ penalty kill stood strong.
Another Plattsburgh penalty late in the third period gave the Soaring Eagles one more hope of avoiding overtime, but it backfired.
Shortly after a shorthanded breakaway by graduate student Kaitlin Drew-Mead was cut short by Elmira’s Madi Morton, Kantonka created some magic of her own. Katonka stole the puck from the stick of senior defenseman Jenny Heath at the Elmira blue line and skated in alone to beat Kuehberger.
The shorthanded tally completed the hat trick for Katonka, in her first game back after suffering a leg injury two weeks ago against Endicott.
Beaubien earned the win with 29 saves on the 30 shots she faced after replacing Davis, while Kuehberger’s 34 saves on 38 was not enough to avoid the loss.
Plattsburgh advanced to Sunday’s East/West Classic final against host Norwich University, while Elmira moved on to the consolation game against Adrian College. Gallery.

Elmira's Eliza Beaudin (25) with the game-winner in overtime over the shoulder and just under the bar for the score. It would be a battle of top 5 and former conference foes in the third-place game of the Cardinal/Panther Classic as the #1 Plattsburgh State Cardinals host the #5 Elmira Soaring Eagles. It would take to almost the end of the first period before we had our first goal when the Cardinals would light the lamp with 1:08 left on the Lilly Stumm goal. In an odd turn of events, the Soaring Eagles would answer back quickly just 1:08 into the second period on the Mary McCafferty goal to tie the game at one. The Cardinals would keep the hammer down and get the lead back with 4:48 left in the period on the Ivy Boric powerplay goal to make it a 2-1 Cardinals leads. Although their lead would be short-lived again as the Soaring Eagles tie the game at two with 1:05 left on the Holly Riva goal. The Soaring Eagles would get a quick hitter on the shorthand just 1:10 into the period on Mary McCafferty's shorthanded goal and second of the night to make it 3-2 Eagles. Although the Cardinals would keep up the fight and tie the game at three on the Nicole Unsworth goal at 7:54 of the third period. The game would remain tied and the teams would head to the overtime period and in the overtime, Eliza Beaudin would send the Cardinal faithful home unhappy as she would score with 1:49 left and give the Elmira Soaring Eagles the 4-3. In the winning effort, the Soaring Eagles go to 8-1 while the Plattsburgh State Cardinals fall to 6-2 on the season. Gallery.

The Middlebury Panthers on the scramble play in front of the night for the goal. It would be the second semi-finals game of the Cardinal/Panther Classic and would feature a battle of top 5 teams as the #2 Middlebury Panthers would faceoff with longtime foe the #5 Elmira Soaring Eagles. It would be a matchup between a couple of very evenly matched foes as all the scoring would come in the second period of the game. The Eagles would get the opening goal of the game at the 9:37 mark of the period on the powerplay from Mary McCafferty. Although the Panthers would have an answer coming as they would score at the 15:56 mark on the Kylie Quinlan goal to make it 1-1. Forty seconds later the Panthers would get the lead on the Madie Ledt goal for the 2-1 lead. From there the defenses would step up on both sides and the Panthers would hold on for the 2-1 victory. In the winning effort, the Panthers go to 4-0 on the season as Sophia Meragaes would make 29 saves and head to the finals against the Endicott Gulls. While the Soaring Eagles suffer their first loss of the season behind a 32 save night by Leonie Kuehberger. Gallery.