POTSDAM, N.Y.-The SUNY Potsdam women’s hockey team (8-6-3, 4-3-3 ECAC West) scored in the first minute of each period en route to a 2-0 victory over Chatham University (3-11-2, 2-7) on Friday afternoon. Seniors Amanda Lucky (Kanata, Ontario/Clarkson University) and Jessica Silveira (Brampton, Ontario/Brampton Thunder) each scored for the Bears. Sophomore goaltender Alexane Rodrigue (Monkland, Ontario/Bemidji State) stopped all 17 shots that came her way for her second collegiate shutout.
Potsdam wasted no time jumping on the Cougars. Just 41 seconds into the contest Lucky finished a feed from sophomore defenseman Katie Marsman (Wantagh, N.Y./Wyoming Seminary) for a 1-0 lead. The Bears continued to make Chatham junior goalie Megan Buchanan (Ottawa, Ontario/Rideau St. Lawrence) work after the goal. Five minutes later, freshman defensemanKaylen Van Wagner (Red Hook, N.Y./Hotchkiss Prep) rang the left goal post. The Cougars finally responded with a couple of quality chances in middle of the period, but Rodrigue handled them both. Despite finishing the opening 20 minutes with a 13-4 advantage in shots, Potsdam held just the one-goal lead.
Silveira got the Bears’ second of the contest just 39 seconds into the middle period. The senior picked up a loose puck in the right corner, cut to the net and roofed it over Buchanan to make it 2-0. A Bears penalty briefly slowed their momentum, but it resumed after a successful penalty kill. Chatham struggled for chances in the period, but still managed some near misses. However, Potsdam held the two-goal lead at the second break on a 14-7 shot advantage.
The Cougars held the edge in play in the early part of the final period, but couldn’t solve Rodrigue. The Bears answered with a short flurry, but were unable to get any insurance. The teams traded chances over the remainder of contest, but the score remained unchanged as Potsdam sealed another important conference win.
Buchanan finished with 34 saves as the Bears outshot the Cougars 36-17. Potsdam went 0-1 on the power play and Chatham was 0-3.
The same two teams go at it again tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Maxcy Hall.
