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Senior weekend has come and gone for the Oswego State Women's hockey team, and the weekend didn't quite go as planed for the girls, dropping both games to top ranked RIT. The first game Friday night when to RIT by a 4-0 score. The following recap of Friday night is provided by the Oswego State Athletic Department.
Top-ranked RIT (18-1-1, 11-1-1 ECAC West) notched three power-play goals in a 4-0 win over the Oswego State women's ice hockey team (9-9-2, 8-5-2 ECAC West) on Pink at the Rink night Friday at the Campus Center Ice Arena. Kolbee McCrea posted two goals, while Kourtney Kunichika finished with a goal and two assists.
Oswego State controlled play in the opening minutes before the Tigers tilted the rink in their favor. RIT got on the scoreboard courtesy of a tic-tac-toe play started at the point by Kourtney Kunichika, who moved the puck down to Kristina Moss. Moss then found Kolbee McCrea in the slot for the one-timer that went through Catherine Cote's legs at 10:21 in the first period 25 seconds into an Oswego State interference penalty.
McCrea tallied her second goal of the game at 18:17 on a breakaway after Ariane Yokoyama chipped a pass from along the left boards in front of the Laker bench into neutral territory to McCrea, who got behind the defense. Kunichika was also credited with an assist on the play that gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission.
Oswego State applied pressure in the opening stages of the second period, but the Lakers could not get pucks through the defense to test RIT goalie Laura Chamberlain. Each squad had opportunities midway through the frame due to defensive miscues during clearing attempts, but neither was able to put goals on the scoreboard until the Tigers scored less than a minute into an Oswego State slashing penalty. Erin Zach slid a pass through the crease to Lindsay Grigg, who was waiting at the far post for the easy tap-in goal.
Trailing 3-0, the Lakers had two quick power-play chances early in the frame with Jillian Bergeron clanging a shot off the right post, but did not score. RIT added its fourth goal in the final minute when Kunichika banged home the puck to light the lamp for her 12th marker of the season with the assist going to Yokoyama.
Cote ended the game with 29 saves, while Chamberlain posted fourth shutout of the year after registering 15 stops.
Over the course of the evening, Oswego State raised nearly $1,000 for the American Cancer Society through donations and bidding on a pink ice hockey jersey.
The pink at the rink game has been an annual event with this program and is worth a GREAT cause. The game was actually able to draw a nice size crowd inside the Cmapus Center
Since Pink at The Rink didn't go as planed as far as the score was concerned, teh team hoped Senior Day on Saturday would be better. It was but not by much as RIT walked away with the 2-1 win. The following recap is provided by the Oswego State Athletics Department.
The Oswego State women's ice hockey team (9-10-2, 8-6-2 ECAC West) bounced back from Friday night's shutout by pushing No. 1-ranked RIT to the final horn, but lost a 2-1 game Saturday afternoon at the Campus Center Ice Arena. Laker goalie Bridget Smith kept the home team within striking distance throughout the game, as she steered away 28 shots in a losing effort.
The Tigers dealt the first blow at 5:40 in the first period when Kourtney Kunichika recorded her 13th goal of the season, while RIT was skating 5-on-3. Kim Schlattman and Ariane Yokoyama were awarded assists on the goal.
However, Oswego State leveled the score with eight minutes left in the frame when Melissa Seamont deflected Breanne Reith's shot from the blue line past Tiger goalie Ali Binnington, who made 15 saves. It was only the eighth goal allowed this season by Binnington. Emily Marks got the secondary assist.
The pace picked up through a relatively whistle-free second period until Danielle Read's shot from the point after a pass from Kristina Moss went through traffic past Smith at 13:15, giving RIT a tenuous one-goal lead at intermission.
Both squads continued to carry the puck back-and-forth, but neither team was able to score. The Lakers went on the power play with 1:09 remaining in regulation allowing Oswego State to call timeout and pull Smith for a two-skater advantage.
Captain Kathryn Sbrocchi put a shot on goal forcing Binnington to get out of her stance to make the save with 14.4 seconds on the clock. A skirmish broke out at the end of the play, resulting in 11 penalties being handed out between both teams. Once the smoke cleared, Oswego State found itself skating 3-on-4 and taking a faceoff in its defensive zone to essentially end the game.
Following the game, the Lakers recognized the seven seniors on this year's squad: Megan Amlinger, Jillian Bergeron, Kelly Collins, Lauren Gilpin, Mackenzie Lee, Leah McNaughton, and Kathryn Sbrocchi (all pictured above).
OK a few things about the Senior Day game. First off the tip in by Semaont was the first Lakers goal at home since the loss to Hamilton after getting shut out for over 10 periods. The deflection goal reminded me a bit of Ryan Smyth of the Edmonton Oilers, who has made a career of deflection goals, so it seems Seamont channelled her inner Smyth. As far as the skermish at the end of the hockey game goes I have to admit I was quite impressed with the Lakers. Jillian Bergeron and Carly Marchment both showed toughness that hadn't been seen before, espically from Bergeron. It was a bigtime statement by the Lakers that they are not to be intimidated, and they will not be pushed around anymore. I loved the physical toughness showed by Oswego, it made one hell of a statement for teams down the road that this program isn't a pushover anymore and they will fight to the final horn every single night.
As far as the playoff push is concerend, the Lakers are guarenteed a playoff game this season with the Potsdam loss to Neuman over the weekend. Currently in a tie for 4th in Conference the Lakers are getting a guarenteed playoff game, now they just have to let the rest of the season play out to see where and who they will play in the opening round of the ECAC West playoffs. If the playoffs were to start tomorrow they would get a home game most likely against Potsdam.
The Lakers play their final four games of the regular season on the road starting next Friday when they face Division I Sacred Heart University at 7 p.m.
(Author's note: story will be done on the senior class at the end of hockey season in the year in review article)
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