Four points from Loren Gabel (Kitchener, ONT) helped the third-ranked Clarkson University Women’s Hockey team defeat Princeton 4-0 in the first ECAC Hockey semifinal game at Cheel Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Clarkson is now 28-4-5 on the season and will advance to the fourth ECAC Hockey Championship game in school history. Princeton has a 20-10-3 record.
The first period ended scoreless with Shea Tiley (Owen Sound, ONT) and ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Year Steph Neatby both making saves to keep their opponents off the scoreboard. Clarkson was finally able to beat Neatby 2:31 into the second period. Gabel fed defenseman Ella Shelton (Ingersol, ONT) on the left side and Shelton skated in on Neatby, scoring on a wrist shot. Clarkson carried that slim one goal lead into the second intermission.
The Golden Knights got some breathing room with a goal just 58 seconds into the third period. Gabel collected a pass from Cassidy Vinkle (Belleville, ONT) and drove down the right and fit the puck between Neatby and the goalpost for her first goal of the game. Clarkson added a third goal at 11:49 when ECAC Hockey Player of the Year and Patty Kazmaier Top 3 Finalist Cayley Mercer (Exeter, ONT) scored. Mercer came down the right and then cut inside of a Princeton defender before scoring with a quick wrist shot. The Green and Gold got their fourth and final tally at 15:14 with Gabel finishing off the scoring. Mercer passed to Gabel at Clarkson’s blue-line and Gabel did the rest. Gabel passed off the boards to herself to beat the first defender and then cut inside on a second defender before scoring.
Clarkson finished with a 40-26 advantage in shots. Neither team could score a power-play goal as Clarkson had five opportunities and Princeton had four. Tiley finished with 26 saves for her fourth shutout of the season and 21st of her career. Neatby had 36 stops in a losing effort.
In the second semifinal of the day, Cornell knocked off St. Lawrence 3-1. The Big Red took a 1-0 lead in the first period on a goal by Kristin O’Neill, but the Saints tied the score early in the second frame when Brooke Webster scored. Cornell regained the lead just 1:29 later though, when Amy Curlew scored a power-play goal. Cornell added an insurance goal 15 minutes into the second period and then hung onto the lead for the final 25 minutes to advance to its seventh ECAC Championship game in the last eight seasons.
Clarkson and Cornell will meet at 2:00 pm on Sunday in Cheel Arena with the ECAC Championship on the line.
