BOX SCORE

Canton, NY – Freshman Mathilde Couture scored the game tying goal and led the team with 11 shots on goal, but the SUNY Canton women's hockey team dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to SUNY Potsdam in a Northeast Women's Hockey League (NEWHL) game on Saturday afternoon.

THE BASICS

• Result: SUNY Potsdam 4, SUNY Canton 3 OT
• Location: Roos House – Canton, NY 
• Records: SUNY Potsdam (9-8-0, 4-6-0) | SUNY Canton (11-5-2, 5-5-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bears got on the board first when Josie Purdy deflected an Alex Quinn shot from the point past a screened Sirena Alvarez.
• Potsdam would double their lead at 11:51 of the first period on a Rebecca Cain power play goal.  Alvarez made the initial stop on Kaylee Merrill, but Cain was there to stuff home the rebound, making the score 2-0 in favor of the Bears.
• Merrill would extend the lead to 3-0 less than two minutes later, skating around one defender and deflecting the puck off another and past Alvarez.
• The Roos responded in the second period and broke into the scoring column on a Kamryn Barnes goal at 4:31.  Barnes buried a backhand feed from freshman Danika Lalonde with junior Desiree Snook also assisting on the play.
• Canton continued to put the pressure on in the third period, narrowing the gap to 3-2 on an Iida Laitinen goal at 5:12 of the period.  Laitinen's goal was assisted by junior Hannah Clement and Barnes.
• Couture capped the comeback, tying the game at 3-3 on a nice give-and-go play from Lalonde.  Couture corralled the return pass and shot the puck just over the outstretched glove of Potsdam goaltender Ellie Zurfluh.  The power play goal was scored at 13:04 of the third with freshman Jane Pancoe earning the secondary assist.
• The score remained tied as time expired, and the teams headed to overtime.  In OT, the Bears turned the tide and put pressure on the Roos from the start, outshooting the Roos 6-3.  Alvarez made several quality stops including one larcenous save early in the extra session.  As the Bear's jammed away at the puck on her blocker side, Alvarez held firm on the pipe.  When the puck bounced behind the net to the far side, the senior goaltender dove across the crease to deny Merrill's backhand attempt.
• A SUNY Canton attempted clear with just over 30 seconds to play was intercepted by Merrill who snapped a wrister top shelf to end the game 4-3.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• After two fairly even periods, Canton dominated the third, outshooting Potsdam 20-3.
• Alvarez made 26 saves in the loss while Zurfluh made 46 for the Bears.
• The Roos were 1/6 on the power play and 6/7 on the penalty kill.
• Barnes finished with a goal and an assist and Lalonde finished the day with two assists.
• Six SUNY Canton defenders registered a blocked shot, led by freshman Sydney Valiquette.

WHAT'S NEXT?

SUNY Canton hosts #3 Plattsburg State in an NEWHL game set for January 27^th at 3:00 p.m.