THACA, N.Y – With former Cornell goalie and all-time wins leader Amanda Mazzotta ’12 in the stands, current Big Red goalie Lauren Slebodnick put on a show to impress her predecessor.
Slebodnick had 20 saves and earned her first shutout of the season, moving to a tie for No. 4 on the all-time wins list with 37 career victories thanks to a 6-0 blanking of visiting St. Lawrence at Lynah Rink on Friday night.
The shutout was Cornell’s first since a 9-0 win against Colgate on Nov. 16.
The No. 4 Big Red (13-4, 9-2 ECAC Hockey) came into the contest tied with the Saints (13-9-1, 8-3) in the conference standings, but ended the night all alone in third place. Cornell’s victory also completed a season sweep against St. Lawrence and keeps the Big Red undefeated on home ice this season.
On the offensive side of things, Brianne Jenner had another terrific game, tallying four points on two goals and two assists just three days after having a five-point showing against Syracuse. Erin Barley-Maloney had two assists and was on the ice for Cornell’s first three goals, while Jessica Campbell added three points as well. Freshman Victoria Pittens had a two-point night, and even Slebodnick got in on the scoring with her second assist of the season.
But despite all that offense, it took the Big Red a full 20 minutes to get going.
The first period ended with neither team lighting the lamp, though each side had two power play opportunities. The Saints outshot Cornell 9-7 in the period, though the Big Red was more dangerous with its two man-advantage chances. Slebodnick had nine saves in the period, her busiest 20 minutes of the evening.
“She didn’t have a lot of shots, but she had a lot of tough ones today,” Derraugh said. “She was on top of her game there and made some really key saves in the first period when we were a little slow and a little sluggish.”
In the second period, though, the Big Red was given plenty more opportunities on the power play and eventually converted. On its fourth man-advantage in the period’s first 12 minutes, Brianne Jenner took things into her own hands. After getting a pass from Erin Barley-Maloney at center ice, Jenner crossed the blue line, sidestepped a St. Lawrence defenseman and beat Carmen MacDonald with a forehand-backhand move. Slebodnick got the secondary assist, though she said afterward that the shutout meant far more to her.
“The girls joke about [the assist], and it’s just kind of a funny thing,” Slebodnick said. “My defense did an excellent job blocking shots, and they made my job pretty easy for me tonight. I’m thankful for that.”
With the lead, Cornell nearly made it 2-0 when an Alyssa Gagliardi slapshot looked close to going just under the crossbar and in. After a video review, the referees determined the puck did not cross the line, and the score temporarily remained 1-0.
Just a few minutes after that, though, another video review went in the Big Red’s favor as Jessica Campbell took the puck in toward McDonald for what would be the game’s pivotal score. Her first shot was blocked, her second was saved, but the junior kept fighting and eventually got the puck over the goal line. The referees’ review this time determined Cornell scored – there was a scrum around the crease during the goal – and it was 2-0 at the 15:37 mark of the period.
“I’m getting some good bounces,” Campbell said. “I’m just happy that the team’s playing well and I’m contributing to the success this week.”
Two minutes later, a sniper shot by Emily Fulton made it three consecutive goals for the home team. The play began in the other end as St. Lawrence had possession, but Campbell stole the puck against the boards and dished to Fulton as Cornell emerged with a three-on-one. Fulton kept it herself, wristing a laser high over MacDonald and finding the back of the net.
“Having all those power plays in the second certainly allowed us to gain momentum there and get that first goal,” coach Doug Derraugh said. “I thought we were really solid the second half of the second period and the third period.”
Cornell continued strong at the start of the third with Lauriane Rougeau slotting a pass through the crease to the left side. Jenner was waiting there all alone, and she finished the play for her second goal of the night just 1:30 into the frame.
Campbell got her goal next when St. Lawrence pulled MacDonald to create a six-on-four advantage while Laura Fortino was in the box for a roughing call. Campbell took a pass from Jenner and hit the empty net from beyond the blue line with more than seven minutes still to play.
Pittens capped the scoring by cleaning up a broken play. The puck bounced off the sticks of Jillian Saulnier and Jenner before Pittens was able to get control and fire the puck past backup goalie Mikaela Thompson.
The Big Red has a quick turnaround before its next game. The team plays again tomorrow against No. 6 Clarkson – the team just ahead of it in the standings – at 4 p.m. in Lynah Rink.
