Boxscore
POTSDAM, N.Y. (1/20/06) - The No. 10-ranked Clarkson University women’s ice hockey team defeated Colgate, 3-1 on Friday, Jan. 20 at Cheel Arena in Potsdam, N.Y. It was the first time the Raiders have lost to the Golden Knights in the three-year series history as Colgate has won the previous four contests.
The Golden Knights controlled from the opening face not allowing the Raiders get the puck in their own zone to attack until six minutes into the contest. But it was Colgate that landed the most shots on net, out shooting Clarkson 7-4.
A delayed penalty was called on Colgate as Clarkson’s Brook Beazer fell to her knees just inside the Clarkson zone along the left side boards. Beazer, struggling to regain her footing at the blue line, sent a cross-ice pass to Marie-Jo Gaudet who was at the top of the right circle. Gaudet settled the bouncing puck and skated in on net, going past her defender, and went glove side on Elayna Hamashuk (Nepean, Ont.) to give the Green and Gold a 1-0 lead at 10:53 of the first period.
Colgate entered the middle frame more settled and immediately started the second with a shot on goal, trying to break Clarkson’s scoring defense, which ranks second in the nation.
With each team having a player in the box midway through the second, Colgate looked to have control of the limited 4x4 action. Clarkson’s third ranked penalty-killing unit dissolved its interference call which left Colgate man-down for just over one minute but it was enough for the Clarkson power-play unit to capitalize, giving them a 2-0 lead. Beazer’s initial shot taken from the right side went off the pads of Hamashuk and rebounded out to the left side where Ashley Shaidle was waiting. Shaidle put her stick on it and sent it stick side to the back of the net before Hamashuk could transition to the opposite side of the net.
The final five minutes of the second saw many quality chances for both sides. Clarkson started the battle with a one-on-one break, but Hamashuk squashed the shot sending the puck to the corner boards at the 15-minute marker. At 16:37 Colgate’s Clancy Todd (Thorold, Ont.) ripped a shot from the top of the left circle that rebounded to wide open ice on the right side. Allison Paiano (Orleans, Ont.) saw the opportunity and skated it from the point but the puck was a straight shot to the chest of Kira Hurley. With just under a minute remaining, Sam Hunt (Calgary, Alta.) sent a shot at Hurley that went off her toe and was just about the cross the goal line until a Clarkson defender hooked the puck with her stick and sent it out of the crease. Seconds later, the Green and Gold had another breakaway that was crushed by Hamashuk as she sent it away with her stick.
Clarkson added some insurance at 2:47 of the third when a face off was taken just inside the offensive zone. Micheleen Devine picked up the puck and skated in on the right side sending the puck to the lower left pocket for the unassisted tally.
The Raiders were finally able to light their side of the scoreboard at 13:19 with a goal from sophomore Kara Leene (Waterbury, Vt.), her first of the 2005-06 season. Becky Irvine (Lakeview, N.S.) had the puck on the right side and fake out Hurley as she quickly skated around the back of the net with a wrap around shot. Hurley, laying on her back, sent the puck to the left with her right arm where Leene picked it up and sent it top shelf.
After calling a time out at 19:21, Colgate pulled Hamashuk for the final 39 seconds, but couldn’t muster the two goals it needed to tie Clarkson.
Hamashuk finished the game with 20 saves, while Hurley turned away 17.
Clarkson improves to 16-7-1 and 8-3-0 in the ECACHL, while Colgate falls to 8-9-4 with a 5-4-3 mark in the league.
The Raiders are back in action Saturday afternoon when they take on the St. Lawrence Saints at Appleton Arena at 4 p.m.
