OSWEGO, N.Y. – The Oswego State women’s ice hockey team (1-2-1, 1-1-0 ECAC West) won its first game of the season in a 5-3 decision over Utica (1-1-0, 1-1-0 ECAC West) Saturday night. The Lakers held a three-goal lead heading into the third period, and held on for the win.
Melissa Seamont (Jr., North Bay, Ont.) wasted little time putting the home team ahead when she scored a little over a minute into the first period on a shot that she slipped past Utica goalie Jennifer Hamel.
Seven minutes later, Emma Smetaniuk (Jr., Frankford, Ont.) added another goal for the Lakers. Mady Paul (Jr., Incline Village, Nevada) passed the puck in front of the goal to Smetaniuk, who hit it into the net, as part of a 2-on-1 situation. Olivia Boersen (Jr., Stratford, Ont.) scored the last goal of the period when the puck tipped off the skate of a Utica player and slid into the net. Megan Hagg (Jr. Pickering, Ont.) earned an assist on the play.
Bridget Smith (So., Hamburg, N.Y.) showed how physical she can be when she used her body to stop two back-to-back shots and laid out flat to prevent the puck from going by.
Both teams continued to play hard in the second period, but the score remained 3-0 at the break.
Utica scored its first goal in the third period on a penalty shot by Megan Myers after Oswego State was whistled for a defender covering the puck in the crease.
With the score 3-1, Paul scored a short-handed goal at 15:58 on a puck that went into the upper corner of the net.
The Pioneers scored twenty seconds later on the power play, as Myers scored her second goal of the game with assists coming from Mary Fusco and Brittany Dellechiaie to ma. Utica scored a minute later on a Dellechiaie goal to bring the game to within one. Courtney May and Fusco earned the assists.
The Lakers sealed the game with 37 seconds left in regulation, though, when Seamont scored an empty net goal.
Oswego State ended the game going 1-for-6 on power play opportunities with the short-handed marker, while the Pioneers were 1-for-8 in power play opportunities, including four in the scoreless second period.
Smith ended the game with 29 saves in the win compared to Hamel, who made 13 saves in the loss.
The Lakers host Potsdam next weekend in another ECAC West series starting on Friday at 7 p.m.
