Buster's Cardinal/Panther Classoc Semi-finals: #1 Middlebury Panthers Vs #4 Elmira Soaring Eagles November 26th 2022

Buster's Cardinal/Panthers Classic Women's Hockey Semi-finals
goal
Photo By: 
Kyle Coryea

Middlebury's Britt Nawrocki (11) with the goal on the scramble play in front of the net to take the lead. It would be the second game of the 2022 Buster's Cardinal/Panther Classic and it would feature the top ranked Middlebury Panthers and the #4 Elmira Soaring with the winner advancing to the championship tomorrow to take on the upset minded #6 Wisconsin River Falls. The game would start off good for the #1 team in the country as they would get the opening goal of the game at the 12:45 mark of the first period as Britt Nawrocki would light the lamp at the 12:45 mark of the first period and give the Panthers the 1-0 lead. That is where the game would stay till the 4:24 mark of the second period when Panthers would strike on the powerplay and give them the 2-0 lead on Britt Nawrocki's second goal of the game. The Soaring Eagles would keep fighting though and they would eventually get on the board at the 5:08 mark of the third period and make it a one goal game again on the Elizabeth Lepage goal. Although the one goal lead would be short lived as the Panthers would regain the two goal lead at 3-1 at the 8:09 mark by Maddie Bayard. From there the Panthers defense would hold the Eagles in check and give them there first lose of the season. In the winning effort Sophia Meregeas would make 23 saves as they advance to the finals and will take on the #6 Wisconson River Falls Falcons to be crowned the 2022 Busters Cardinal/Panthers Classic champion. Gallery

#6 Wisconsin River Falls Falcons @ #3 Plattsburgh State Cardinals November 26th 2022

Buster's Cardinal Classic Semi-Finals: NCAA Women's Hockey
goal
Photo By: 
Kyle Coryea

Wiscon River Falls Maddie McCollins breaks in and beats Plattsburgh State's Lilla Nease to tie the game at two in the closing seconds of the second period. It would be the opening game of the 2022 Buster's Sports Bar and Grill Cardinal/Panther Classic and it would feature the home #3 Plattsburgh State Cardinals taking on #6 Wisconsin River Falls Falcons at the Ronald B Stafford Ice Arena. The invading Falcons would get the opening goal of the game at the 7:33 mark of the first period on the Bailey Olson goal. The game would stay there all the way to the 5:44 mark of the second period when the Cardinals would get the equalizer off the stick Sara Krauseneck. Then with under four minutes left in the period the Cardinals would get the lead on the Riley Calhoun goal. Although the lead would be short lived as Maddie McCollins would come down on the break away and beat the Cardinal goalie with ten seconds left in the period and tie the game back up at two. Then at the Falcons will retake the lead at the 6:52 mark of the third period on the Aubrey Nelvin goal. From there the Falcons would hold onto the 3-2 lead for the win. In the winning effort the Falcons go to 7-1 on the season while the Cardinals suffer their first loss of the season and go to 7-1. With the win the Falcons head to the championship game of the Busters Cardinal/Panther Classic against the winner of the Middlebury Panthers and the Elmira Soaring Eagles. Gallery.

Buffalo State Bengals @ #2 Plattsburgh State Cardinals NEWHL Women's Hockey November 18th 2022

glove save
Photo By: 
Kyle Coryea

Plattsburgh State's Chole Bleaubein (29) with the glove save as she would have nine save in the shutout. It would be the #3 Plattsburgh State Cardinals hosting the Buffalo State Bengals in the Northeast Women's Hockey League at the Stafford Ice Arena. The game would start off good for the home Cardinals as they would get off to the quick 1-0 lead on a goal from Nicole Unsworth at the 2:12 mark of the first period. Then at the 8:36 mark of the period the Cardinals would extend there lead to 2-0 on the Ivy Boric goal. Then to finish off the scoring in the opening period Julia Masotta would light the lamp at the 15:34 mark on the powerplay to take a 3-0 to end the first period. To start the second period Ivy Boric would get her second goal of the game just 1:31 into the period for the 4-0 lead. Then at the 7:13 mark of the second period Clara Wall would score on the powerplay for the 5-0 lead. From there defense would be the name of the game as the Cardinals would get the 5-0 victory as they go to 6-0 on the season as the Bengals fall to 0-5. Gallery

scramble play
Photo By: 
Kyle Coryea

Plattsburgh State's Sara Krauseneck (25) trying for goal on the scramble play in front of the net during the third period. Gallery

Buffalo State Bengals @ #2 Plattsburgh State Cardinals November 11th 2022

NEWHL Women's Hockey
from a knee
Photo By: 
Kyle Coryea

Plattsburgh State's Ciara Wall plays the puck from a knee to get the shot on net. It would be the #3 Plattsburgh State Cardinals hosting the Buffalo State Bengals in the Northeast Women's Hockey League at the Stafford Ice Arena. The game would start off good for the home Cardinals as they would get off to the quick 1-0 lead on a goal from Nicole Unsworth at the 2:12 mark of the first period. Then at the 8:36 mark of the period the Cardinals would extend there lead to 2-0 on the Ivy Boric goal. Then to finish off the scoring in the opening period Julia Masotta would light the lamp at the 15:34 mark on the powerplay to take a 3-0 to end the first period. To start the second period Ivy Boric would get her second goal of the game just 1:31 into the period for the 4-0 lead. Then at the 7:13 mark of the second period Clara Wall would score on the powerplay for the 5-0 lead. From there defense would be the name of the game as the Cardinals would get the 5-0 victory as they go to 6-0 on the season as the Bengals fall to 0-5. Gallery

#9 Norwich Cadets @ #3 Plattsburgh State Cardinals November 15th 2022

NCAA Women's Hockey
the celeberation
Photo By: 
Kyle Coryea

The celebration is on the Plattsburgh State as the Cardinals woul get the overtime win, It would be the classic women's hockey rivalry as the Plattsburgh State Cardinals would host the Norwich Cadets this time the would be added stakes as they were both ranked in the top ten in the early stages of the season. The Cadets of Norwich would get the scoring started with 8 minutes left in the first period on the Morgan Tefft goal and the 1-0 lead. That is where the game would stay til the 1:49 mark of the second period when the Cardinals Mae Olshansky foal. Then just about 90 seconds life in thee period on the Nicole Unsworth goal in the second period and the 2-1 lead. That is where the game would stay until we hit the 9:12 mark of the second period when the Cadets would tie the game on the Taylor Girouard goal. That is where the game would stay til there was 2:53 left in the game when Sara Krauseneck when the Cardinals would take the 3-2. Then the Cadets would strike for two goals in 28 seconds when Nikki LaGue and Taylor Girouard goals and take a 4-3 lead with two minutes left in the game. Although while the Cardinals were on the penalty kill they pulled the goal and with 19 seconds left Mattie Norton would score and tie the game at four. In that overtime frame Plattsburgh from Norwich Cadet would get the game winner with just over 90 seconds in the game. In the wining effort the Cardinals would take the 5-4 win. In the winning effort the Cardinals go to 5-0 while the Golden Knights fall to 5-4 and send the just over 350 fans next weekend for the Cardinals is a homestand as they Buffalo State and Morrisville Mustangs. Gallery.

Potsdam State Bears @ #2 Plattsburgh State Cardinals NEWHL Women's Hockey November 11th 2022

body savw
Photo By: 
Kyle Coryea

Plattsburgh State's Lilla Nease (31) with the body save in traffic as part of an 11 save night for the win. It would be home openner for the Plattsburgh State Cardinals on this Veterans Day as they would take on North Country foe the Potsdam State Bears. The game would be very evenly matched through the early stages of the game. As the first two goals of the game would come in the final minute of the second period as Ivy Boric and Sara Krauseneck would score to make it 2-0 Cardinals. Then in the early stages of the third period the Cardinals would strike again from Julia Masotta to make it a 3-0 lead for the Cardinals. The Potsdam Bears would get on the board halfway through the third period on the Kaylee Merrill goal to make it 3-1 game. Then just over a minute later the Cardinals would score again on Julia Masotta second of the game for a 4-1 Cardinals win. In the winning effort Lilla Nease would make 11 saves on the afternoon as they go to 3-0 on the season. Gallery

shot on net
Photo By: 
Kyle Coryea

Plattsburgh State's Grace Yarkoksy (92) with the shot on net through the open lane. Gallery

Potsdam State Bears @ #2 Plattsburgh State Cardinals November 11th 2022

NEWHL Women's Hockey
battle for the puck
Photo By: 
Kyle Coryea

Plattsburgh State's Sara Krauseneck (25) battles for the puck behind the net with the Bears defender. It would be home openner for the Plattsburgh State Cardinals on this Veterans Day as they would take on North Country foe the Potsdam State Bears. The game would be very evenly matched through the early stages of the game. As the first two goals of the game would come in the final minute of the second period as Ivy Boric and Sara Krauseneck would score to make it 2-0 Cardinals. Then in the early stages of the third period the Cardinals would strike again from Julia Masotta to make it a 3-0 lead for the Cardinals. The Potsdam Bears would get on the board halfway through the third period on the Kaylee Merrill goal to make it 3-1 game. Then just over a minute later the Cardinals would score again on Julia Masotta second of the game for a 4-1 Cardinals win. In the winning effort Lilla Nease would make 11 saves on the afternoon as they go to 3-0 on the season. Gallery

#1 Middlebury Panthers Vs #5 Gustavus Adolphus Gusties March 19th 2022

NCAA Division III Women's Hockey Championship
National Champions
Photo By: 
Nate Lepage

The Middlebury College women's ice hockey team poses with the 2022 NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey National Championship trophy. The Middlebury College women's ice hockey team made history Saturday, defeating Gustavus Adolphus College 3-2 in overtime of the NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey National Championship at Chip Kenyon Arena in Middlebury, Vermont.

The win capped off the first-ever perfect season in Division III women's ice hockey, and the first unbeaten season since Plattsburgh's 2007 run.

The hosts got on the board in style in the first period with a short-handed goal at 13:44, as the Panthers were on the second of back-to-back penalty kills.

Junior forward Jenna Letterie extended her stick to break up a pass to the far point off a faceoff won by the Golden Gusties and followed the puck into the neutral zone to set herself on the breakaway. Junior goaltender Katie McCoy appeared to make the save, but the puck trickled through the five-hole for the goal.

Gustavus Adolphus was able to draw level on a power play at 12:30 in the second period. Freshman forward Kaitlyn Holland passed the puck to Junior forward Emily Olson below the goal line. Olson patiently waited a second behind the goal before finding Junior forward Clara Billings in the slot for the one-time shot inside the far post.

Middlebury regained the with under three minutes remaining in the third period. Letterie forced a turnover in the neutral zone that set up senior forward Katie Hargrave for a shot from the high slot. McCoy made the save, but senior captain Madie Leidt got to the rebound on the blocker side first and shot it on the backhand for the go-ahead goal.

With Gustavus Adolphus on the power play late in the game, a video review of the time on the clock at 16 seconds resulted in an additional 2 seconds on the clock that would prove to be crucial.

After the Golden Gusties put a flurry of shots on Middlebury goaltender Sophia Merageas at the end of the period, the clock hit zero and the Panthers began their celebrations, but a lengthy video review showed that a backhanded rebound shot by junior forward Molly McHugh crossed the line with 0.1 seconds on the clock, sending the teams to overtime.

In tense overtime in which both teams had several scoring chances, Middlebury senior forward Ellie Barney put the game away at 13:17 of the extra period. Junior defenseman Eva Henrikson found Barney with a stretch pass out of the defensive end, and although McCoy stopped the initial shot, Barney put away her own rebound to season the championship.

Merageas stopped 29 of the 31 shots she faced in the win, while McCoy saved 25 of 28 shots in the loss.

With the win, the Panthers completed a perfect 27-0-0 season with a National Championship, while the runner-up Gustavus Adolphus finished at 25-4-2. Gallery

#2 Plattsburgh State Cardinals Vs #4 Elmira Soaring Eagles March 18th 2022

NCAA Division III Women's Hockey Consolation Game
Photo By: 
Nate Lepage

Plattsburgh graduate forward Annie Katonka leads the celebration of a go-ahead goal in the third period of the third-place game at the 2022 Division III Women's Ice Hockey National Championships. The Plattsburgh State women's ice hockey team claimed third place at the 2022 NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey National Championships with a 3-2 victory over Elmira College Saturday at Chip Kenyon Arena in Middlebury, VT

With both teams coming off semifinal losses the night prior, it was Elmira who jumped on the scoreboard first in the consolation game.

Freshman forward McKenzie Schmidt carried the puck into the offensive zone, but quickly lost possession to Plattsburgh defenseman Sierra Benjamin. Benjamin was unable to clear the puck out of the zone, instead finding the stick of Elmira freshman forward Claire Elfring, who sent a wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle to beat Plattsburgh goaltender Lilla Nease on the blocker side.

Despite a 12-8 advantage in shots in the opening period, the Cardinals went to intermission with a 1-0 deficit.

Plattsburgh tied things up early in the second period, with a goal from senior forward Nicole Unsworth. Elmira goaltender Leonie-Louise Kuehberger made the save on a shot from junior forward Ivy Boric, and Unsworth – fresh off the bench – picked up the rebound, moved the puck to her backhand as she skated across the slot, and deposited it into the open net.

A bit more than four-minute later, the Soaring Eagles regained the lead. Junior forward Kelly Millins forced a turnover in the neutral zone and carried the puck into the offensive zone, where she left a no-look drop pass to senior defenseman Brianna Haviland. Haviland passed the puck to senior forward Brooke McArdle, whose shot from the left hash marks was tipped by Millins for the goal.

Down 2-1, the Cardinals were intent on drawing level before the second intermission, and the powerplay unit did it in final minute of the second period.

Benjamin sent in a wrist shot from the top of the right faceoff circle toward the far post. Boric had her stick tied up with Elmira senior forward Morgan Mordini at the top of the crease, but managed to get just enough contact with the puck to redirect it through Kuehberger's five-hole.

Plattsburgh thought they had the lead at the 11:58 mark of the third period with a Boric wrap-around into an open net, but after video review, the goal was disallowed due to goaltender interference by Katinka.

The Cardinals took the lead for real just three minutes later, this time scored by Katonka off an assist by Boric. Katonka found Boric in the neutral zone, who skated it in and left the drop pass to return it to Katinka. The shot from the high slot beat Kuehberger high on the glove side.

Elmira pulled Kuehberger late in the period to try to come back and got a reprieve when a Plattsburgh shot at the empty net hit the post and settled in the crease, but the Cardinals held on for the 3-2 win.
Kuehberger made 30 saves on the 33 shots she faced in the Elmira net, while Nease stopped 18 of 20.

With the final result, Plattsburgh finished the season in third place with a record of 26-3-1, while fourth-placed Elmira finished with a record of 25-4-1. Gallery

#1 Middlebury Panthers Vs #4 Elmira Soaring Eagles March 18th 2022

NCAA Division III Women's Hockey Semi-finals
the celeberation on
Photo By: 
Nate Lepage

Middlebury College players and fans celebrate the eventual game-winning goal in the third period of the NCAA Division III national championship game. The top-ranked Middlebury College women’s ice hockey team got one step closer to its first national championship since 2006 with a 3-2 semifinal victory over Elmira College Saturday at Chip Kenyon Arena in Middlebury, Vermont.

A game featuring two of the top three defenses in the nation unsurprisingly went through the first period without a goal, as the teams exchanged scoring chances early.

The scoring began at 8:10 of the second period as Middlebury sophomore forward Cat Appleyard got the hosts on the board with a power-play goal.

Junior forward Jenna Letterie passed the puck from the top of the right faceoff circle to Senior forward Katie Hargrave at the goal line. Hargrave took one touch on the puck to find Appleyard at the right hash marks before Appleyard sent the one-timer on the net for the goal.

Middlebury College players and fans celebrate the eventual game-winning goal in the third period of the NCAA Division III national championship game. The visitors got back even just 1:01 later on the game clock, however.

Senior forward Morgan Mordini beat two Panthers to the puck in the right corner before sending a centering pass toward the slot. The puck took a slight deflection off the skate of graduate forward Emma Crocker before finding senior forward Eliza Beaudin in the low right circle, where Beaudin sent a low-angle shot to sneak in just below the glove of Middlebury freshman goaltender Sophia Merageas.

The Panthers regained the lead at 12:44 of the second period with a goal from freshman forward Kylie Quinlan. Freshman forward Raia Schluter corralled the puck along the left half-board and passed it to fellow freshman Molly Macqueen in the corner, who found Quinlan in the slot. Quinlan beat Elmira goaltender Leonie-Louise Kuehberger with a toe drag to get around the left pad.

Middlebury gained the crucial insurance goal at 8:13 of the third period with a goal from senior captain Madie Leidt. Letterie controlled the puck bouncing off the back of the goal before finding Leidt in the slot of the one-timer.

Elmira managed to get some offensive pressure late in the third, cutting the deficit in half at 15:46. After an icing call, Elmira senior forward Mary McCafferty won the defensive-zone faceoff, and freshman forward Erika Goleniak chipped the puck up the boards to herself into the offensive zone on the right-wing. Gollnick beat the Middlebury defenseman with a pass to junior forward Holley Riva in the slot, who buried the puck behind Merageas.

The Soaring Eagles were unable to complete the comeback.

Kuehberger made 29 saves in the 3-2 loss for Elmira, while Merageas stopped 16 of the 18 shots she faced in the Middlebury goal.

With the win, Middlebury advanced to Saturday’s Division III Women’s Ice Hockey National Championship Game against Gustavus Adolphus, while Elmira fell to the third-place game against Plattsburgh. Gallery

Pages

Background Image