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Big Red shocks No. 10 Saints women's hockey, 3-2

Posted 3/1/15

For 40 minutes the No. 10 St. Lawrence women's hockey team put forth a dominant total team effort, stifling Cornell's offense and carrying a 2-0 lead into the third period. But the Big Red scored …

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Big Red shocks No. 10 Saints women's hockey, 3-2

Posted

For 40 minutes the No. 10 St. Lawrence women's hockey team put forth a dominant total team effort, stifling Cornell's offense and carrying a 2-0 lead into the third period. But the Big Red scored three in the final frame to steal a 3-2 victory out from under the Saints and close out the best-of-three playoff series in Ithaca.

"We played another solid game tonight," Head Coach Chris Wells said. "We had plenty of great chances to stretch the lead out when were we up 2-0. Cornell's top line had been held off the board for most of the weekend and they were able to convert on a few crisp plays to put the game away."

Seniors Ellie Williams and Jacqueline Wand scored in what would end up being their final game in the Scarlet and Brown, while fellow senior Carmen MacDonald finished with 23 stops.

Williams converted a breakaway opportunity when she stuffed the puck five hole; between the pads of Cornell netminder Paula Voorheis to give the Saints a 1-0 lead. Jenna Marks started the play with a beautiful two-line pass the found Williams on the opposing blue line after she snuck in behind the Big Red defense. Megan Armstrong also assisted on the play.

Just 37 seconds into the middle frame, Wand extended the lead to 2-0 when she lifted the rebound from a Brooke Webster shot over Voorheis and into the top of the net for her seventh of the season.

For the rest of the second, the Saints held Cornell to just four shots on goal and was aggressive on the forecheck; creating turnovers and keeping the Big Red pinned in their own zone for extended periods of time.

But Cornell controlled the play after winning the opening draw in the third period and Anna Zorn capitalized on a Saints turnover just over two minutes in to cut the St. Lawrence lead in half at 2-1.

Jillian Saulnier jumped on a rebound in the crease to tie things at 2-2 at the 7:53 mark with Brianne Jenner and Cassandra Poudrier assisting.

It was Emily Fulton who netted the game winner for the Big Red with a little over three minutes remaining in regulation off a two-on-one with Saulnier. The Saints pulled MacDonald after the goal, but couldn't put another behind Voorheis to force overtime.

The Saints finish the season 19-12-5 overall, and graduates the last remaining piece of the 2012 ECAC Championship team with the class of 2015.

"We had a great team this year," Wells said. "Our seniors came in four years ago and changed the culture of our program. They all know they are most definitely leaving SLU Hockey as a better place. I will forever be grateful for their efforts on the ice, but mostly their contributions, energy and passion off the ice."