ELMIRA, N.Y. – For the second-straight day, the top ranked Plattsburgh State women’s ice hockey team took care of the second ranked Soaring Eagles, defeating Elmira by the score of 7-1.
Similar to Saturday’s game, sophomore Melissa Sheeran scored the first two goals for the Cardinals against Elmira. The Schaghticoke, N.Y., native gave Plattsburgh State a 1-0 lead receiving a cross ice pass in the slot and ripping a shot short-side past Elmira goalie Kyle Nelson.
Elmira would even it up at 1-1 late in the first period on a Katie Granato wrister from the blueline that beat Plattsburgh State goaltender Camille Leonard five hole.
However, the Cardinals would score the next six in a row to take command of the game.
Sheeran would pick up her second goal of the game to regain the Cardinals, converting on the power play midway through the second. The sophomore would toe drag the puck into the slot before sending a shot through the legs of Nelson to make it 2-1 Plattsburgh State.
Courtney Moriarty would tally a shorthanded goal with just 1:04 remaining in the second period. The freshman would take advantage of a turnover by the Elmira goalie for any easy goal and give Plattsburgh State a 3-1 lead.
Moriarty would start the third period with another goal on the power play to give the Cardinals a 4-1 lead. Sheeran would get credited with the primary assist as she set up Moriarty on the doorstep of the crease.
Senior, Jordan Lipson would score a goal for the second-straight game. Lipson would beat Nelson again on the power play, a fifth Cardinal goal, ending the Soaring Eagles’ goalie’s afternoon.
Freshman, Moriarty would complete her hat-trick on a third power play goal for Plattsburgh State to make it 6-1. Again, Sheeran setup Moriarty very similar to her second goal, finding Moriarty setup right on front of the crease, far post.
Melissa Ames would cap the scoring for the Cardinal putting Plattsburgh State up 7-1 on Elmira with just 31 seconds remaining.
Leonard finished with 22 saves on 23 shots for her 18th win of the season. Kyle Nelson made 28 saves in the first 48:40 before turning it over to Kelcey Crawford for the final 11:20.
The Cardinals finished an overwhelming 4-for-6 on the power play while holding Elmira to 1-for-4 including scoring a shorthanded goal.
Plattsburgh State outscored the Soaring Eagles 11-3 in the two games this weekend.
Top ranked Plattsburgh State remains perfect at 20-0-0 and first in the ECAC West at 13-0-0. Elmira loses both games to the Cardinals this weekend to slide to 15-3-1 and 10-2-0 in the ECAC West.
The Cardinals will play their last two regular season home games on Saturday and Sunday when Plattsburgh State welcomes Cortland into the Stafford Ice Arena for a pair of ECAC West contests.
