Game 1 of the ECAC Hockey Playoffs began well enough for the Clarkson University Women’s Hockey team as the Golden Knights held a 3-1 lead late in the third period. St. Lawrence, however, scored twice with its goaltender out for the extra attacker in the final minutes of regulation, and then connected for the deciding goal early in overtime to pull out a come-from-behind 4-3 victory before 716 fans on Friday night at Appleton Arena in Canton.
The Golden Knights (16-13-6) and the Saints (23-9-3) will face off in Game 2 of the best-of-three quarterfinal series on Saturday beginning at 4:00 p.m. at Appleton Arena. If Clarkson wins, the North Country rivals will play a deciding third game on Sunday. if St. Lawrence wins they will move on to the ECAC Hockey Championship Tournament next weekend.
Trailing by two late in regulation, the Saints pulled goaltender Brittony Chartier with four minutes remaining for the extra attacker and the moved paid off as Karell Emard scored at 16:27 to make it a one-goal game. St. Lawrence pulled the goaltender again with 80 seconds left and scored its second goal with the extra attacker to tie the game 3-3. Alison Domenico’s shot from down low deflected in off a skate in front with 63 seconds left in the third to force overtime.
Vanessa Emond came through with the game-winner, sneaking in a shot during a scramble in front at 4:11 of the sudden victory extra session to complete the comeback.
After a scoreless first period, Clarkson and St. Lawrence combined for two goals in a 29 second-span early in the middle frame. The Knights’ all-time leading goal scorer, senior Marie-Jo Gaudet (Sherbrooke, QUE) tallied her 21st goal of the season when she stole the puck from a Saints’ defender at the side of the SLU net and flipped in a quick shot underneath the crossbar for 1-0 Clarkson lead at 3:01. The Saints came right back with Alley Bero’s breakaway score at 3:30.
The Knights regained the lead at 15:12 with sophomore Melissa Waldie (Newmarket, ONT) connecting on a shot from the left circle that found its way through traffic for her 15th goal of the season. Juniors Britney Selina (Thornhill, ONT) and Genevieve Lavoie (Delson, QUE), with her 98th career point, set up the goal.
Selina came close to giving the Knights a two-goal lead with a shorthanded breakaway attempt, but Chartier made the pad save moments before the horn sounded to end the middle frame.
Just 1:52 into the third, Clarkson took a 3-1 lead. Freshman Juana Baribeau (Amos, QUE) took a pass at center ice from classmate Gabrielle Kosziwka (Limehouse, ONT), broke past the defense and slipped a shot past Chartier for her 18th goal of the season.
St. Lawrence out shot the Knights 30-26, and had both shots in overtime. Sophomore Lauren Dahm (Baldwinsville, NY) posted 26 saves. Clarkson was 0-of-3 on the power play and killed off all four St. Lawrence man-advantage opportunities.
