PINE VALLEY, N.Y. — A five-goal outburst in the third period paved the way for a lopsided 7-1 win for the No. 3/4 nationally-ranked Elmira College women’s ice hockey team, who took down visiting Stevenson University in United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) action. With the win, Elmira is off to a perfect 4-0-0 start and improved to 16-1-0 all-time in home-opening contests.
A total of 14 Elmira skaters registered at least one point this evening and six Soaring Eagles produced two or more points. Leading the charge was rookie Devyn Gilman ’21, who scored a power-play goal and assisted on two tallies, including tonight’s game-winner. Maddy Jerolman ’19 was tonight’s lone multi-goal scorer, as the speedy winger tallied twice against the Mustangs, with her first goal of the night going down as the game-winning score.
Other multi-point scorers were Louisa Lippiatt Durnell ’18 (1g-1a), Kristin Chivers ’19 (1g-1a), Maddie Evangelous ’19 (0g-2a) and Meg Lahey ’19 (0g-2a). Ari Smith ’18 and Katie Granato ’19 added one goal apiece, while Tristen Tolan ’21, Shannon Strawinski ’19, Emma Crocker ’21, Meghan Fonfara ’18, Sarah Hughson ’18 and Sydney Harris ’21 all added one assist each.
In goal, Kelcey Crawford ’18 picked up her third win of the young season thanks to a 19-save effort in 60 minutes of action. Crawford made six saves in the opening two periods of the game and capped the night with a seven-save performance in the third to solidify her 34th career victory.
The Soaring Eagle offense tested Stevenson’s starting goalie, Caitie Darosa, with 17 first-period shots. EC’s relentless pressure on the forecheck created multiple chances from close range, but a nice heads-up play just outside crease would produce tonight’s game-opening goal. A shot from the point by Lahey was redirected by Tolan, whose attempt caromed off the Darosa’s pads and out to the weak side. From there, Granato cleaned up the rebound and buried the shot from just outside the crease to put the Purple and Gold on top, 1-0, with 7:10 left in the first period.
It only took 1:22 for the Purple and Gold to double their lead in the second stanza, as Jerolman knocked in her second goal of the season. A pass from Lahey to Gilman set up a shot from the Yorba Linda, California, native. Gilman’s shot was saved, but again EC was there to clean up the rebound, as Jerolman bodied a defender before snapping a wrist shot past a sprawled out Darosa for the score.
Elmira seemed to have all the momentum in the second period, but that changed drastically at the 8:29 mark. A shot from the blue line by Allie Bruns was deflected by an EC skate, forcing Harris to make a play on the puck on the right post. Following an unfortunate bounce, Harris unintentionally pushed the puck into the net. Bruns was credited with the score, which sent the Soaring Eagles into the final intermission with a 2-1 lead.
The Elmira women showed their class in the third period and justified their top-three national ranking with an unrelenting attack that produced five goals. Three of the five tallies were registered in a 3:46 span from 5:05 to 8:51, which blew tonight’s game wide open.
EC’s five-goal period began with a snipe from the blue line by Chivers, whose shot weaved through traffic and squeezed between Darosa’s pad and the post. Harris and Lippiatt Durnell were credited with assists on the goal.
Just over two-and-a-half minutes later, Smith scored her second of the season by cleaning up a loose puck outside the crease. A scrum in front of the cage screened the Mustangs’ goalie, which allowed Smith to crash the net and dump the puck into the open cage. Crocker and Fonfara picked up assists on the tally, which gave the Purple and Gold a 4-1 lead.
Elmira kept the scoring going with a beautiful odd-man rush goal by East Sussex, England, native Lippiatt Durnell. Following a pass from Strawinski out of the defensive zone, Hughson carried the puck into Stevenson’s third of the ice with Lippiatt Durnell trailing in the slot. Hughson drew-in the final Stevenson defender before sliding a pass to Lippiatt Durnell, who routinely buried the shot from point-blank range to increase the Soaring Eagle lead to 5-1.
EC’s sixth goal of the contest featured some nifty stick skills and a great individual effort by Jerolman, who split a pair of Stevenson defenders before tucking the puck glove-side for the score. Gilman and Evangelous were credited with assists on Jerolman’s second tally of the night.
The final goal of the night was scored with 5:52 remaining on the clock, as Gilman completed her three-point night with a power-play score. A shot from the right faceoff dot by Evangelous was deflected by Stevenson’s Annie Smyth-Hammond, who came in for relief duty after EC’s sixth goal, but the rebound leaked out to the left post where Gilman rifled it into the open net. Chivers, along with Evangelous, picked up an assist on the final goal of the game.
In His Own Words…
Head Coach Tim Crowley talks about EC overcoming a slow start and his talk to the team during the second intermission…
“I thought we played a little tense at the start. We played well in the first period and then they got a goal on a bad bounce, and that’s going to happen in any given year and I didn’t think we responded very well to it. So, we went into the locker room and said let’s play with some confidence and understand that we are talented group from top to bottom. We wanted to get back to competing on every shift, winning every battle and doing all the small things well.”
Coach Crowley shares his thoughts on Jerolman’s two-goal night…
“I think it was just something where she was getting chances before and they just weren’t falling for her. It just goes to show that she had chances today and she was able to finish them. She’s a key piece moving forward and we want her to be productive. We certainly think that today will help her move on and continue to produce for us. But if you look at us from top-to-bottom production wise, we’re having everybody contribute and that’s something that we want to have continue.”
Coach Crowley talks about EC’s special teams…
“I think it starts with the goalie and you can argue that Kelcey [Crawford] is one of the best in the country, and we certainly think that way. I think your goalie is your best penalty killer and she’s been really good for us so far this year. We stressed the importance of special teams this year and I think that’s something you can tell four games. Our penalty kill has been really good. We know when to pressure, we are getting in lanes and we are getting sticks in there. Our power play has been something we have been able to cash-in on when we’ve had opportunities.”
News and Notes
Elmira improved to 16-1-0 all-time in home-opening games.
The Soaring Eagles have won 14 straight home-opening contests.
EC has not lost in 15 consecutive home games (13-0-2) and is 11-0-2 at the MAC during that time.
The Purple and Gold improved to 3-0-0 all-time against the Mustangs.
Elmira remained perfect in UCHC play at 3-0-0.
Elmira has yet to allow a power-play goal this season and has scored at least one power-play goal in each game so far.
Gilman has produced three points in back-to-back games.
Strawinski extended her point streak to nine consecutive games.
Crawford’s 19 saves were a season high.
Up Next
The Purple and Gold conclude their season series with the Mustangs of Stevenson tomorrow afternoon with a 3:00 p.m. tilt at the Murray Athletic Center.
