SAINTS’ SUFFER 3-2 OVERTIME LOSS TO HARVARD

IN ECAC HOCKEY TITLE GAME

Mar. 9: The No. 6 St. Lawrence University women’s hockey team battled back from a pair of one goal deficits to force overtime against the nation’s best team, Harvard University, in the 2008 ECAC Hockey Championship game on Sunday afternoon at the Bright Hockey Center in Cambridge, MA. However, a goal off the stick of senior

All-American defenseman Caitlin Cahow only 3:33 into the extra session gave the Crimson a 3-2 win and the conference’s automatic bid into the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

The Saints (28-9-1, 18-3-1) put forth a valiant effort, including a game-tying goal from junior Marianna Locke with only 2:43 to play in the third period to force overtime. Despite the loss, St. Lawrence will likely receive an at-large bid into the National Tournament later this evening when the 2008 NCAA Tournament bracket is revealed.

St. Lawrence and Harvard both had quality chances in the first period to take the lead, but goaltenders Meaghan Guckian (St. Lawrence) and Christina Kessler (Harvard) were sharp, turning away 10 and 12 shots, respectively. The biggest moment in the first period came when Guckian made a beautiful save on a breakaway chance for Harvard’s Sarah Wilson midway through the stanza.

After a scoreless first period, Harvard grabbed a 1-0 lead at 6:38 of the second period on an impressive power play with senior Sabrina Harbec in the penalty box. Cori Bassett sent a pass to the blue line for an awaiting Liza Ryabkina, who rifled a slap shot past Guckian on the low-left side for her 10th of the season.

St. Lawrence, who out-shot the Crimson 13-6 in the second period and earned the majority of chances, evened the score at 1-1 at the 12:28 mark of the second. Harbec sent a pass to the top of the left circle finding sophomore Britni Smith. Smith launched a hard wrist shot off Kessler’s pad, with the rebound coming to a wide open Chelsea Grills who buried a shot for her 17th of the season, leveling the score heading into the third period.

In a very evenly played period, both goaltenders came up with clutch saves to keep the game tied at 1-1. Two unfortunate bounces, however, would lead the game to a 2-2 tie after 60 minutes of hockey.

Harvard’s Jenny Brine sent a soft wrist shot on goal that Guckian seemed to have well in her sights. As the netminder went to stick the puck aside to her left, it simply rolled up the blade over her stick, over her shoulder and across the goal line for her 17th of the season at 15:51 of the third period.

Though the goal would’ve deflated many teams, the Saints have showed resiliency throughout the ECAC Hockey Tournament, as they bounced right back only 1:26 later to even the score at 2-2. Smith attempted a wrist shot from the top of the circle to Kessler’s left, but the shot was blocked by a Harvard defender. Unfortunately for the hosting-Crimson, it bounced directly to Locke inside the circle, and the Brasher Falls, NY native one-timed a shot inside the left post with Kessler out of position to send the game to overtime. Locke’s 21 st goal of the season came at 17:17 of regulation.

Though both teams managed two shots on goal in the overtime period, Harvard kept consistent pressure on the Saints’ defensive unit. The Crimson appeared to have the game-winner less than three minutes into overtime, but the official ruled the puck was touched by a Harvard player with a high-stick, nullifying the goal and keeping the score tied at 2-2.

However, it would take only 39 seconds for Cahow to once again allow her team to storm the ice in victory, as she wrapped up Harvard’s fifth ECAC Hockey title. The senior defenseman skated the puck the length of the ice and snapped a wrist shot past Guckian on the glove side at 3:33 to end the contest and keep Harvard atop the national standings heading into the NCAA Tournament.

“I’m very proud of this team and what we’ve accomplished, and I thought that was a great college hockey game,” said Saints head coach Paul Flanagan. “We’re obviously disappointed as we played well enough to win. Meaghan (Guckian) made some huge saves for us to keep us in the game, and I’m just happy for our seniors that they have more college hockey ahead of them next weekend.”

St. Lawrence finished with a 33-31 advantage in shots on goal and finished 0-for-3 on the power play while Harvard was 1-for-3 with the extra skater. Guckian closed with 28 saves in the contest and fell to 23-9-1 on the season, while Kessler picked up the victory, improving to 29-1-0 after making 31 stops.

Grills, Cahow, Kessler, Brine and Ryabkina were joined on the 2008 All-Tournament team by St. Lawrence defenseman Brittaney Maschmeyer, who was outstanding throughout the weekend on both ends of the ice for the Saints. Cahow was named the Most Outstanding Player thanks to her game-winning tally.

The Scarlet and Brown will hear their fate when the 2008 NCAA Tournament field is announced at 6:00pm on Sunday evening.

SENIORS PACE NO. 6 SAINTS TO

2008 ECAC HOCKEY TITLE GAME

Mar. 8: The No. 6 St. Lawrence University women’s hockey team advanced to the 2008 ECAC Hockey Championship Game with a 3-1 victory over No. 8 Dartmouth College on Saturday afternoon at the Bright Hockey Center on the campus of Harvard University. The Saints (28-8-1, 18-3-1) were led by their upperclassmen, as seniors Sabrina Harbec and Chelsea Grills each picked up goals while goaltender Meaghan Guckian was outstanding between the pipes with a 26 save performance.

The Big Green, who advanced to the conference semifinals with a sweep of the Colgate University Raiders last weekend, quickly grabbed a 1-0 lead only 5:11 into the opening period on the power play. Maggie Kennedy, the Big Green’s leading scorer, centered a pass to Sarah Parsons in the slot. Though Guckian was able to turn away Parson’s bid, the rebound came right to Shannon Bowman who lifted a shot under the cross bar for her 9th goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.

St. Lawrence, who dropped last year’s ECAC Hockey title game to Dartmouth 7-3, peppered Dartmouth’s Carli Clemis in the opening 20 minutes. However, the junior goaltender turned away all 15 shots she faced in the period to protect the Big Green’s 1-0 cushion after one period of play.

In a penalty-filled second period, the Saints used a pair of power play goals to claim the lead after two stanzas. Harbec evened the score at 1-1 only 2:40 into the second while Nicole Ruta served a two-minute minor for Holding. A Dartmouth defender had a chance to clear the puck out of the zone while skating short-handed, but turned the puck over to junior Carson Duggan at the blue line instead. Duggan quickly snapped a pass across the ice to Harbec, who moved in one-on-one and beat Clemis to tie the score for her 17 th goal of the season.

Despite being out-shot 12-11 in the period, the Saints claimed a 2-1 lead at 17:47 of the second to carry an advantage into the final frame. Senior Annie Guay fired a shot from the point that bounced off of Duggan and slipped to the left post. Grills, who had an assist on Harbec’s goal, was there to clean up the play and notch her 16th goal of the campaign with Clemis caught out of position.

The Big Green came out threatening in the third period, again out-shooting St. Lawrence 11-10. However, an undisciplined penalty by Amanda Trunzo put the Saints on the power play again at 5:39 of the third period. Another great shift by the line of Tara Akstull, Marianna Locke and Alison Domenico would give St. Lawrence several chances on the ensuing power play.

Akstull stole the puck from a Dartmouth defender in the corner and sent a crisp pass right on the tape of sophomore Brittaney Maschmeyer just outside the circle to Clemis’ left. The Bruderheim, Alberta native fired a wrist shot that snuck past Clemis’ right pad and into the goal to put St. Lawrence on top 3-1 with 13:02 remaining in regulation.

Though Dartmouth poured on pressure in attempting to climb back into the contest, Guckian was having none of it, and stymied the Big Green to improve to 23-8-1 on the season. Clemis suffered the loss despite making 35 saves, falling to 13-7-6 on the season. The Saints also used a very sound penalty kill, keeping Dartmouth to a 1-for-8 showing while they finished 3-of-6.

“I thought our power play group did a great job capitalizing on a few chances and bouncing back after falling behind early,” said St. Lawrence head coach Paul Flanagan. I give Dartmouth a ton of credit, as they made us work for everything out there tonight. But we’re certainly excited about having the chance to take on Harvard for the 2008 ECAC Hockey championship tomorrow.”

The Harvard University Crimson advanced to the championship game with a 3-0 victory over Clarkson in the opening semifinal. The Saints dropped both contests to Harvard in the regular season by the scores of 5-1 and 2-0.

The Scarlet and Brown will face-off with Harvard at 2:00pm tomorrow, Sunday, March 9 at the Bright Hockey Center. The winner will earn the conference’s automatic bid into the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

HARBEC, GUAY NAMED TO ALL LEAGUE SQUAD

Mar. 7: St. Lawrence University seniors Sabrina Harbec and Annie Guay were named to the ECAC Hockey Women’s All Star first team on Friday with Chelsea Grills and Kerri Wallace earning second team honors.

Harbec, a three-time finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award, and Guay, a two-time All America each earned first-team honors for the third time.

Karell Emard was named to the All Rookie team.