BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Cortland women's ice hockey team defeated Buffalo St., 7-0, on Friday to clinch the fourth seed in the upcoming NEWHL playoffs. The Red Dragons improved to 14-8-2 overall and 7-8-2 in the conference and will face top-seeded Plattsburgh in the league semifinals on Saturday, Feb. 29. The Bengals fell to 5-19 and 3-14.
Freshman Jayden Kelley (East Berne/CP Dynamo) recorded her first career hat trick to lead Cortland, while sophomore Amanda Gaffney (Williamsville/Amherst Knights) netted a pair of goals. Senior Emily King (Buffalo/Buffalo Regals) and sophomore Lindsay Reyes (Chino Hills, CA/Anaheim Lady Ducks) each added goals for Cortland.
Senior Emily Rose (Chaumont/Syracuse Nationals), junior Grace Schnorr (Camillus/Little Caesars) and freshman Dany Donegan (Cicero/Syracuse Nationals) each contributed two assists for the Red Dragons. Senior Abbey Paduano (Massena/Massena H.S.), juniors Katie DeVoe (Mississauga, ON/Vaughan Flames), Katelinn Cummings (Johnson City/Northwood School) and Olivia Wilburn (Stockton, CA/San Jose Sharks), sophomore Quinn Metcalfe (Churchville/Rochester Monarchs) and freshmen Elena Eichmann (Fairport/Syracuse Nationals) and Martha Dzieniszewska (Old Bridge, NJ/New Jersey Colonials) recorded assists. Junior goalie Chelsea Allain (Malta/Canterbury School) registered 24 saves to post her eighth career shutout.
Victoria Cottrell started in goal for Buffalo St., turning aside eight shots in 22:20 before giving way to Soleil Archambeault, who stopped 16 shots in 37:40.
Kelley gave Cortland a 1-0 lead at 9:03 of the first period with her first goal of the game. Reyes made it a 2-0 game at 11:50, netting her second goal of the season, and Gaffney's first goal of the game at 13:07 gave the Red Dragons a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes of action.
King scored her sixth goal at 2:20 of the second period, Gaffney tallied her ninth goal of the season at 13:35 followed by Kelley's eighth goal of the season to put the Red Dragons ahead 6-0 through two periods.
Kelley completed her hat trick with a power-play goal at 14:34 of the third period for the 7-0 final.
Cortland 7, Buffalo St. 0
Score by periods:
Cortland 3-3-1 7
Buffalo St. 0-0-0 0
Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Cortland: Jayden Kelley 3-0, Amanda Gaffney 2-0, Lindsay Reyes 1-0, Emily King 1-0, Grace Schnorr 0-2, Dany Donegan 0-2, Emily Rose 0-2, Elena Eichmann 0-1, Katie DeVoe 0-1, Olivia Wilburn 0-1, Abbey Paduano 0-1, Katelinn Cummings 0-1, Quinn Metcalfe 0-1, Martha Dzieniszewska 0-1
Buffalo St.: no scoring
Saves: Chelsea Allain (Cortland) 24 saves (x GA in 60:00); Victoria Cottrell (Buffalo St.) 8 saves (4 GA in 22:20), Soleil Archambeault (Buffalo St.) 16 saves (3 GA in 37:40)
Shots on goal: Cortland 31 (10-13-8), Buffalo St. 24 (7-7-10)
Penalties: Buffalo St. 8-16:00, Cortland 6-12:00
Power Play: Cortland 1-7, Buffalo St. 0-5
Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 14-8-2, 7-8-2 NEWHL, Buffalo St. (Bengals) 5-19, 3-14 NEWHL