UTICA, NY – The nationally-ranked No. 8/10 Utica College women’s hockey team netted two goals in a span of 1:04 late in the third period to break a 2-2 tie as the Pioneers clinched the third seed in the ECAC West Conference Tournament with a 4-2 victory over visiting Buffalo State on Sunday afternoon at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. The Pioneers will now host sixth-seeded SUNY Cortland on Thursday night at 7 p.m. in the quarterfinals of the ECAC West Tournament. Tickets for Thursday night’s game go on sale online and at the Utica Memorial Auditorium Box Office on Monday morning at 10 a.m.
Ten different players for UC scored at least one point in the victory, while all four goals were scored by a different skater. Linemates Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) and Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) led the team with two points apiece. Reed had two assists while Schnepp chipped in with one goal and one assist. Schnepp now leads UC with 42 points (13 goals, 29 assists), while Reed ranks second on the team with 40 points (20 goals, 20 assists). The last time UC had two 40+ point scorers in the same season was back in 2006-07 when All-Americans Deana Wiegand (49) and Stephanie Price (46) completed the feat.
Utica (17-7-1) now needs one more win to tie the single-season program record for wins in a season (18). The Pioneers have not won 18 games in a season since 2007-08, when they reached the 18-win mark for the third year in a row.
With the score set at 2-2 late in the third period, the Pioneers pulled ahead for the final time with 3:32 left in the contest when Elizabeth Dohner (Highlands Ranch, CO/Colorado Selects) netted the go-ahead goal to make it 3-2, off assists from Meghan Power (Windsor, Ontario/Southwest Wildcats) and Carlie Smith (Grimsby, Ontario/St. Catharine’s Chaos). About a minute later Lauren Patterson (Burlington, Ontario/Oakville) added an insurance goal to make it 4-2. Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) and Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) were credited with the assists on the final goal of the contest.
Utica opened up the scoring just over five minutes into the first period when Emily Coope (Phoenix, AZ/Colorado Tigers) netted her fifth goal of the season. Victoria Pelton (Sterling Heights, MI/Belle Tire) and Jane Pagano (Erie, PA/Tabor Academy) were credited with the assists. The Bengals struck back about 30 seconds later on a goal by Maddie Toczek, leveling the score at 1-1 while Erin Gehen and Nikki Kirchberger got the assists. The score remained tied through the rest of the first period and throughout the second period.
In the third period, Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) would break the deadlock with her 13th goal of the season which was assisted by Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) and Veronique Lortie (Chambly, Quebec/Berkshire School). Once again Buffalo State evened the game quickly scoring 23 seconds later to make it 2-2. Missy Mallon was credited with the goal while Christine Harris and Brooke Krantz were given the assists.
Utica goalie Keira Goin (Dobbs Ferry, NY/Hotchkiss School) had 20 saves out of 22 shots faced and improved to 14-6-1 on the season. Bengal goalie Justine Silva stopped 32 as her record moved to 16-7.
Both teams were held scoreless on five total power-play chances, while the Pioneers outshot the Bengals 36-22 on the day.
Buffalo State (18-7, 12-6 ECAC West) earned the No. 4 seed in the ECAC West Tournament and will host Oswego in quarterfinal action.
