OSWEGO, N.Y. – The third-seeded Oswego State women’s ice hockey team (12-12-1) ran into a hot goalie Saturday afternoon as the Lakers fell to sixth-seeded Neumann (10-15-1), 3-0, in ECAC West First Round action on Saturday afternoon at the Campus Center Ice Arena. Knight goalie Shannon Donnelly compiled 33 saves to help Neumann avenge last year’s 3-0 ECAC West First Round loss to Oswego State. Neumann will now face Plattsburgh in the semifinal round on Saturday, March 2 at 4 p.m. in Plattsburgh.
The game featured back-and-forth action for most of the first period until the Lakers were called for interference for the first power play of the game. Neumann worked the puck around the zone before Olivia Pryzbylkowski passed from the right point down to Edie Brenning near the goal line along the boards before swinging a cross-ice pass up to Keira St – Laurent. St – Laurent teed up a shot at the top of the slot that sailed through traffic over Oswego State goalie Bridget Smith‘s (So., Hamburg, N.Y.) glove into the net at the 10:53 mark.
The Lakers turned up the pressure late in the frame with several good looks at the net, but Knight goalie Shannon Donnelly preserved the lead for the visitors heading into the first period.
Both squads had quality scoring chances in the second, but both goalies were up to the challenge, especially Smith who turned away a series of point-blank shots midway through the frame. Special teams played a role at the end of the period as Emma Smetaniuk utilized her speed to draw a Neumann penalty while Oswego State was a skater down.
With each side skating 4-on-4, the Knights were whistled for a second penalty in the final minute to give the Lakers a two-skater situation for the final 18 seconds of the second period and the first 31 seconds of the third periods, as they still trailed 1-0.
Smith and Donnelly continued to put on a show for the crowd until Neumann added an insurance goal at 10:39 in the third period. Jessica Langdon took an uncontested shot at the bottom of the circle, but the save went right to Edie Brenning, who was sitting at the back post for the rebound goal.
Minutes later, Megan Russelo made it 3-0 in favor of the Knights when her shot from the right faceoff circle bounced off of Smith’s blocker into the net at 14:03, prompting Oswego State to make a goalie change and call timeout.
The Lakers went on their fourth power play of the game with 1:24 left in the third, but were unable to get any shots through to Donnelly as Neumann closed out the win.
Smith finished the game with 18 saves over the first 54 minutes, while Tori Trovato (Fr., Fulton, N.Y.) posted three saves in the final six minutes.
