Knights Post 4-0 Shutout Over Merrimack to Claim Smashville Title

Women's Hockey | 11/30/2024 6:46:00 PM

Box Score

Nashville, TN – Anne Cherkowski recorded a three-point afternoon with a pair of assists and a late power-play goal to help guide the Clarkson University Women's Hockey team to a 4-0 shutout over Merrimack College in the championship game of the Smashville Showcase.

The Golden Knights, ranked sixth nationally, extended their unbeaten streak to nine straight and their winning run to five consecutive games, improving to 14-3-1. Merrimack dropped to 5-10-1. Clarkson will close out the first semester with a pair of home games against Dartmouth and Harvard next weekend at Cheel Arena.

Clarkson dominated play in the early going with the puck rarely leaving the Merrimack defensive zone, but most of the scoring chances were underdeveloped and resulted in fairly easy saves for Warriors' goaltender Calli Hogarth. However, that consistent pressure would eventually result in a score for the Golden Knights. With the puck along the left side wall, a Merrimack defender attempted to clear the zone with a backhand off the board, but Nicole Gosling was positioned perfectly to keep the puck in the zone. She quickly skipped a pass across the ice to Haley Winn, who had plenty of space with which to work. She skated in and took a hard wrist shot between the slot and right circle dot, sneaking the puck through the left side blockers and glove of Hogarth at 10:55.

The Knights finished the first period with just the one goal, though the Green and Gold dominated with a 32-5 edge in shots and a 16-3 advantage in shots on goal despite spending two minutes down a skater on the penalty kill.

Things evened out a little at the start of the second period, but again the Knights wore the Warriors down for a second goal. Sena Catterall denied a clearing attempt and Haley Winn kept the puck in the zone, resulting in a shot shortly thereafter by Winn. From that point, the Knights kept the puck behind the net and fought for possession, with Anne Cherkowski able to eventually send a backhanded centering pass into the slot for Catterall, who had lost her defender and was all alone for the easy one-timer at 9:58.

In the waning moments of the second period, Clarkson picked up an additional goal, this one off a shorter possession. In transition the Knights got off one shot and the puck ended up behind the net where Anne Cherkowski fought along the boards. She won the battle for the puck and outmaneuvered her defender to skate in front of the net where she was initially denied, but Sena Catterall was there again to pick up the loose puck, poking it past Hogarth with at the 18:42 mark.

Clarkson ended up with a fourth goal late in the period to put a cap on its tournament championship run. A late whistle against Merrimack gave the Golden Knights a power play chance and the Green and Gold took about 75 seconds to cash in. The puck ended up below the circle along the left side boards and scooted out on a pass from Nicole Gosling to an open Anne Cherkowski. She closed ground with a few strides and rifled a shot top shelf off the bottom of the crossbar with only 36 seconds remaining in the game.

The Knights finished with an overwhelming 44-13 edge in shots on goal (75-27 total) and scored on one of their two power-play chances while holding the Warriors scoreless on three power plays. In her sixth start of the season, Holly Gruber recorded her third shutout of the year with 13 stops and Calli Hogarth made 40 saves for Merrimack.

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Players Mentioned

#4 Haley Winn: 5' 5"; Junior; Right

#21 Nicole Gosling: 5' 7"; Senior; Left

#24 Anne Cherkowski: 5' 6"; Senior; Right

#25 Sena Catterall: 5' 5"; Sophomore; Left

#35 Holly Gruber: 5' 6"; Junior; Catch Left

Players Mentioned

#4 Haley Winn
: 5' 5"; Junior; Right

#21 Nicole Gosling
: 5' 7"; Senior; Left

#24 Anne Cherkowski
: 5' 6"; Senior; Right

#25 Sena Catterall
: 5' 5"; Sophomore; Left

#35 Holly Gruber
: 5' 6"; Junior; Catch Left

Scoreboard

Clarkson University Athletics

Knights Post 4-0 Shutout Over Merrimack to Claim Smashville Title

Players Mentioned

#4 Haley Winn

#21 Nicole Gosling

#24 Anne Cherkowski

#25 Sena Catterall

#35 Holly Gruber

Players Mentioned

#4 Haley Winn

#21 Nicole Gosling

#24 Anne Cherkowski

#25 Sena Catterall

#35 Holly Gruber