ROCHESTER, NY – For the third straight season, the defending champion RIT women’s hockey team will travel to Mercyhurst University for the College Hockey America Championship weekend. On Friday, RIT, seeded sixth, will face top seed Mercyhurst in the first semifinal at 3 p.m. Second-seed Syracuse will host No. 3 Penn State in the second semifinal at 7 p.m. The two winners will meet in the championship game on Saturday at 3 p.m. The CHA champion will earn an automatic berth into the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
Ticket prices are $10 per day for adults, and $5 for students and youth.
RIT (13-18-5) advanced to the College Hockey America Semfinals for the third straight season, and eliminated Robert Morris from the postseason for the second straight year, by scores of 3-1 and 1-0 on the road in the best of three first round series last weekend. On Friday, Emilee Bulleid (Waterdown, Ontario/Stoney Creek Sabres), Mackenzie Stone (Kars, Ontario/South Carleton), and Caitlin Wallace (Brantford, Ontario/Assumption Collegiate) scored goals, while Ali Binnington (Oakville, Ontario/Mississauga Chiefs) made 30 saves. The next day, Lindsay Grigg (Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Hornets) scored a first period goal, while Binnington made 31 saves for her fifth shutout of the season.
RIT is now 6-0 all-time in CHA First Round games, having allowed five goals in those six contests. The Tigers enter the weekend riding a three-game winning streak.
Binnington has allowed one goal over her last three starts. The senior goaltender has been incredible in the postseason in her RIT career, going 9-1 in 10 starts with a microscopic 0.92 goals against average and .969 save percentage, recording three shutouts. Binnington’s shutout on Saturday was the 19th of her collegiate career, passing Melissa Norris ’01 for the most all-time at RIT.
Binnington has stopped 147-of-151 shots during RIT’s five-game winning streak (.974 save percentage). Overall, she is 14-9-2 with a 1.82 goals against average and .940 save percentage to go along with six shutouts this season and 14 for her RIT career, second most in school history. Binnington is sixth nationally in save percentage, tied for fifth in shutouts, and has the 11th best goals against average in Division I.
Nine players have between 10 and 17 points for the Tigers this season. Grigg leads the team in scoring with 17 points on six goals and 11 assists. Celeste Brown (Great Falls, MT/National Sports Academy) has a team-best 10 goals and is right behind with 16 points. Four of Brown’s 10 goals are game-winners this season.
RIT is now 22-12 all-time in postseason contests at the Division I and III levels, since women’s hockey was recognized as a NCAA Championship sport in 2001. Since Scott McDonald took over as head coach in 2006, RIT is 19-7 in the postseason, including an 8-1 mark at the Division I level. The senior class of Morgan Scoyne (Drumbo, Ontario/Stoney Creek Sabres), Kolbee McCrea (Wawa, Ontario/Burlington Barracudas), Marissa Maugeri (Ajax, Ontario/Durham West Lightning), Bulleid, Grigg, Brown, and Binnington has an impeccable 13-1 record in postseason play.
Last year, the Tigers swept Penn State in the first round at RIT before defeating Robert Morris, 4-1 in the semifinal and Mercyhurst, 2-1 in the CHA Championship on Grigg’s goal in the second overtime. Binnington stopped a career high 62-of-63 shots in the championship and was named the tournament MVP.
Mercyhurst (23-8-3) enters the weekend also having earned a bye into the semifinals. The Lakers have won all but two CHA Championships and advanced to the NCAA Semifinals last season. Last time out, the Lakers wrapped up the regular season by splitting a series at Lindenwood on Feb. 20-21, falling 3-1 and rebounding to win, 7-1. Mercyhurst is outscoring its opponents, 95-52 this season. Emily Janiga leads the team in scoring with 45 points on 27 goals and 18 assists, while Jenna Dingeldein has 35 points on 18 goals and 17 assists. In net, Amanda Makela is 20-7-3 with a 1.38 goals against average and .935 save percentage.
Syracuse (10-14-10) enters the weekend also having earned a bye into the semifinals. Two weekends ago, the Orange split a two-game series against the Tigers, winning 4-1 in Syracuse and falling 1-0 in the regular season finale at the Gene Polisseni Center. Its opponents are outscoring Syracuse, 95-72 this season. Melissa Piacentini and Stephanie Grossi leads the Orange in scoring with 29 points apiece. Piacentini has 18 goals and 11 assists, while Grossi has nine goals and 20 assists. In net, Jenn Gilligan is 10-13-9 with a 2.52 goals against average and .899 save percentage.
Penn State (17-15-4) advanced to the semifinals after sweeping Lindenwood in the opening round by scores of 1-0 and 3-1. Its opponents are outscoring Penn State, 86-72 this season. Laura Bowman leads the team in scoring with 31 points on 16 goals and 15 assists, while Amy Petersen is right behind with 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points. In net, Celine Whitlinger is 13-10-1 with a 2.17 goals against average and .933 save percentage.
RIT is 0-4-0 this season against Mercyhurst, 2-2-0 against Syracuse, and 1-3-0 against Penn State.
Both games will be available online at America One Network. Live stats are also available for each game.
Tickets are available one hour before puck drop at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. Admission for adults will be $10 and students with a valid I.D. will be charged $5.
There will be a banquet on Thursday, March 5 at the Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center in Erie, Pa. Throughout the banquet, the four remaining CHA teams, Mercyhurst, Syracuse, Penn State, and RIT will be recognized and honored for their achievements throughout the regular season. The banquet will be open to the public, at $38 a person and to contact Joe Kimball ([email protected]/814-824-2559) for reservations by 12 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3.
Tickets are available one hour before puck drop at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. Admission for adults will be $10 and students with a valid I.D. will be charged $5.
There will be a banquet on Thursday, March 5 at the Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center in Erie, Pa. Throughout the banquet, the four remaining CHA teams, Mercyhurst, Syracuse, Penn State, and RIT will be recognized and honored for their achievements throughout the regular season. The banquet will be open to the public, at $38 a person and to contact Joe Kimball ([email protected]/814-824-2559) for reservations by 12 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3.
