Pine Valley, NY — The Elmira College women’s ice hockey team (15-1-1, 10-0-0 ECAC West) extended their win streak to six games this afternoon as the Soaring Eagles downed visiting Chatham University (7-10-0, 2-8-0 ECAC West), 4-0. Elmira’s power-play unit played a significant role in the outcome of today’s game as the Purple and Gold went 3-for-4 on power-play chances.
Three Elmira players turned-in multi-point performances, includingAshton Hogan ’15, the nation’s leading goal scorer, who knocked-in two of Elmira’s three power-play goals this afternoon. Johanna Eidensten ’17 also finished with a pair of goals, one of which came on the power play while Ashley Ryan ’15, the nation’s point-leader, assisted on a pair of goals. Ryan’s two points ups her career total to 139, putting her in a two-way tie for fourth place on Elmira’s all-time list for career points after starting the day in sixth place.
Much like their Saturday evening matchup, the Soaring Eagles held a hefty advantage in the shot category, outshooting the Cougars 52-to-12, including a very lopsided second period when EC outshot Chatham 26-to-1.
Elmira’s relentless pressure was rewarded at the 5:01 mark of the first period as Eidensten scored the game’s opening goal on a power-play opportunity. Phoebe Piku ’16 setup the score as her initial shot from the point created a scrum in front of the net, allowing Meghan Fonfara ’18 to put a shot on goal. Fonfara’s shot was saved but Eidensten would be there to collect the rebound and punch-in the power-play score. Both Fonfara and Eidensten were credited with assists on the lone goal of the first period.
In the second period, Elmira took a 2-0 lead behind a power-play goal by Hogan at the 10:21 mark. Hogan’s goal was a result of a redirected shot from the point by Brooke Wilgosh ’15, a tipped shot that found its way into the right side of the net for the score. Ryan picked up an assist on the goal as her pass to Wilgosh at the point helped setup the scoring play.
Hogan’s goal would be the only one of the second period as EC took their 2-0 lead into the final intermission.
At the 10:07 mark of the third period, Hogan would score her second power-play goal of the afternoon to extend Elmira’s lead to 3-0. Hogan’s goal was setup by some sleek in-zone passing by Wilgosh, Erin Weston ’15, and Ryan. Weston began the scoring play by carrying the puck from behind Chatham’s net and dishing it to Wilgosh at the point before getting it right back on the left side of the ice. From there, Weston would make a great cross-ice pass to Ryan, who sent a strong pass towards Hogan on the far post, where she would bury the shot for the score.
A little over three minutes would pass before Elmira scored their final goal of the evening, a goal that would come from the stick of Eidensten. With less than seven minutes to play, EC forced a turnover in their defensive end and Olivia Nystrom ’16 would get the puck and find Eidensten at center ice. From there, Eidensten almost lost the puck but would regain possession and carry it into the slot where she wristed-in her second goal of the evening, beating Chatham goalie Megan Buchanan over the right shoulder.
Kelcey Crawford ’18 made 12 saves en route to her second shutout victory of the season to improve to 6-0-0 on the year. With today’s win, Crawford remains one of two goaltenders in the nation with a 1.000 winning percentage, the other being Plattsburgh’s Camille Leonard.
Elmira will put their perfect 10-0-0 ECAC West record on the line next weekend as the Soaring Eagles travel to Plattsburgh, NY to play in the season’s most anticipated two-game series against No. 1 nationally ranked Plattsburgh State. Next weekend’s games will more than likely dictate who will host the 2014-15 ECAC West Conference Tournament as both teams enter with flawless ECAC West records. The first of two games is scheduled for Saturday, January 31st at 3:00 p.m.
