NORTHFIELD, Vt. — No. 4 Plattsburgh State women's ice hockey defeated No. 10 Norwich University, 2-1, in the Northfield Savings Bank East-West Hockey Classic championship game on Sunday at Kreitzberg Arena.
With the victory, Plattsburgh State claimed the East-West Hockey Classic title for the sixth time overall with the Cardinals' last title coming in 2019-20.
Plattsburgh State (10-2-0), which played its final game of the calendar year, next plays a Northeast Women's Hockey League (NEWHL) game at SUNY Canton on Friday, Jan. 7, at 3 p.m. Norwich (7-3-0) hosts William Smith College for a New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) game at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 7.
Plattsburgh State scored the only goal of the first period to take a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. Sophomore forward Mae Olshansky (Wilmette, Ill./North American Hockey Academy) intercepted a pass in the high slot of the Norwich defensive zone. In an outstanding individual effort, Olshansky stickhandled past two Cadets before scoring with a backhand over the right shoulder of the Norwich goaltender at the 15:04 mark.
In the second period, Norwich scored first to tie the game at 1-1. However, Plattsburgh State answered back to take a 2-1 lead into the second intermission.
The Cadets scored a power-play goal at 7:30 of the second period to make the score 1-1. Junior forward Mikah Baptiste scored her seventh goal of the season on a one-timer from just outside the top of the right circle. First-year forward Taylor Girouard and junior forward Ingrid Holstad-Berge recorded the assists.
With under five minutes remaining in the second period, the Cardinals took advantage of a power play to retake the lead. Graduate student forward Kaitlin Drew-Mead (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) took a pass in the low slot from Olshansky and one-timed a wrist shot inside the left post to make the score 2-1 at the 15:24 mark. Senior defenseman Sierra Benjamin (Palm Coast, Fla./Northwood School) tallied the secondary assist.
Drew-Mead's goal turned out to be the difference in the game. Norwich pulled its goalie at the end of the third period, but the Cardinals held on for the 2-1 victory.
Junior goaltender Chloe Beaubien (Colorado Springs, Colo./Ontario Hockey Academy), who improved to 3-0-0, made 24 saves for Plattsburgh State. Senior Alexa Berg (4-3-0) stopped 37 shots for Norwich.
Both teams finished 1-of-2 on the power play.
Shots were 39-25 in favor of Plattsburgh State.
All-Tournament Team
MVP: Chloe Beaubien, Plattsburgh State
Forward: Morgan Mordini, Elmira
Forward: Jocelin Hudanish, Adrian
Forward: Annie Katonka, Plattsburgh State
Forward: Mae Olshansky, Plattsburgh State
Defense: Morgan Tefft, Norwich University
Goalie: Alexa Berg, Norwich University