Middlebury Falls in NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Championship, 2-1
Courtesy Middlebury Athletic Communications
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. - Plattsburgh State stopped Middlebury's quest for a fourth straight NCAA women's hockey title with a 2-1 victory at the Stafford Arena in Plattsburgh, New York on Saturday. The Panthers, in a rematch of the 2006 title game, held the Cardinals to their lowest goal output of the season, but the top-ranked and undefeated Cardinals (27-0-2) were just too strong in net en route to their first ever NCAA championship. This was the third meeting of these teams as Plattsburgh won a 5-4 overtime game at Middlebury in February and won 4-2 in Plattsburgh back in November. The NCAA runner-up Panthers finish their season 23-4-2.
Plattsburgh State struck first when Lindsay Brown scored at the 19:00 mark to take a 1-0 lead. In all three games this season, the Cardinals scored the first goal of the game. Plattsburgh State held a 10-6 shot advantage and maintained their 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
In the second period the Cardinals expanded their lead to 2-0 when Shay Bywater scored from the doorstep off a nice centering feed by Danielle Blanchard at the 6:38 mark. Middlebury could not exploit a two-skater advantage midway through the period. Cardinal goaltender Breanne Doyle made some great saves during the 1:31 span of the 5-on-3 power play. But another penalty on Plattsburgh State moments after getting back to full-strength gave the Panthers another power play opportunity. Middlebury would capitalize at the 15:58 mark when Shannon Sylvester redirected a shot from the point by Karen Levin to cut the Cardinals' lead to 2-1. The Panthers continued to pressure Plattsburgh in the waning minutes of the period, but Doyle made several spectacular stops to deny Middlebury the equalizer. Although trailing 2-1, the Panthers out-shot the Cardinals 14-7 in the period and had a 20-17 shot advantage after two periods.
The Cardinals, who owned a 20-0-1 record when leading after two periods during the season, relied on their defense to keep Middlebury from tying the game in the third. The Plattsburgh defense did a great job clamping down on the Panther offensive attack. In the final minutes of the game Middlebury took an interference penalty that forced the Panthers to try and attack short-handed. Once back to full-strength the Panthers pulled their goalie for the final 1:11. Middlebury could not score as the game ended 2-1 in favor of Plattsburgh.
Middlebury goaltender Lani Wright's record falls to 13-3 as she made 22 saves, while her counterpart for Plattsburgh State Breanne Doyle made 28 stops to improve her record to 21-0-2.
