Princeton, N.J. (3/4/06) – The Colgate University women’s hockey team mounted a three-goal comeback to tie Princeton at 4-4 in the third period, but a goal with just 1:51 remaining in regulation game the Tigers the victory in game two of the ECACHL Quarterfinal series.
With just 1:51 remaining Sarah Butsch notched the game-winning goal with help from Pearce and Salmon. Pearce came up the right side boards and faked that she was going to wheel around the net, instead she sent a pass to Butsch who was just outside the crease and was able to put it away.
Colgate called a time out and pulled Brook Wheeler (Brussels, Ont.) for the final 48 seconds in favor of the extra attacker but the Raiders couldn’t tie it up before the buzzer sounded.
The Raiders close out the season with a 12-15-7 record. The Tigers, now 21-7-4, advance to the ECACHL Semifinals that will take place at St. Lawrence on March 11.
Colgate broke onto the scoreboard first with a power-play goal from junior Ashley Johnston (Duxbury, Mass.) at 5:01. Princeton’s Annie Greenwood held the puck behind the net and Colgate’s Carly McNaughton (Lethbridge, Alta.) went it and jammed her up against the boards in the right corner. Johnston came to her aid, got the puck out and sent it up the boards to Becky Irvine (Lakeview, N.S.). Irvine sent a straight pass to Johnston who had skated back out into open ice and rifled a shot at Gaudiel. Gaudiel caught the puck with her body as she fell towards Johnston and the puck rebounded back out where Johnston was able to tuck it under the cross bar.
Princeton answered back with a man-advantage goal of its own by Greenwood at 16:07. Set up in power-play formation, Dina McCumber got the puck at the left side and sent it across the blue line to Laura Watt. Watt fired a shot towards the net that was redirected by Greenwood and just slipped by the blocker of Wheeler in net.
The Tigers added a goal early in the second stanza to take the 2-1 lead. Chrissie Norwich set by Kim Pearce for the marker.
Minutes later, Princeton tallied another goal on the power play by Marykate Oakley. Greenwood sent a direct shot from the point that went through traffic and bounced off the skate of Oakley who was positioned just outside the paint, and slowly trickled across the goal line at 4:27 to give the Tigers the 3-1 lead.
Brittany Salmon padded the lead for Princeton, 4-1, at 11:37. Pearce had the puck and was circling in the zone with a Colgate skater trying to block her shot. Pearce wasn’t able to get a shot off but was able to sent the puck out where Salmon was able to get to it at between the circles and went five-hole on Wheeler.
Colgate mounted a comeback scoring the next three goals to tie Princeton at 4-4.
Kara Leene (Waterbury, Vt.) ignited the offense with a power-play marker at 14:28. Mallory Johnston (Chatham, Ont.) ripped a shot from the top of the zone that was redirected out front by Leene. Sam Hunt (Calgary, Alta.) was also given credit on the play as the teams headed into the locker room with Princeton leading 4-2.
The Raiders cut the lead to one when Allison Paiano (Orleans, Ont.) got the puck behind the boards and skated in on net. She skated across the goal mouth and went stick side on Gaudiel at 3:10 of the third period. Lisa Dodd (Syracuse, N.Y.) and Ashley Bradford (Burnaby, B.C.) were credited with the feeds.
Leene made evened the game when she sent a redirection through the legs of Gaudiel at 6:09. Mallory Johnston took a shot from the point that got tied up in traffic and went wide right to the blade of Leene who was able to take the shot.
With just 1:51 remaining Sarah Butsch notched the game-winning goal with help from Pearce and Salmon. Pearce came up the right side boards and faked that she was going to wheel around the net, instead she sent a pass to Butsch who was just outside the crease and was able to put it away.
Colgate called a time out and pulled Wheeler for the final 48 seconds in favor of the extra attacker but the Raiders couldn’t tie it up before the buzzer sounded.
Wheeler made 28 saves in the contest, while Gaudiel stopped 20.
