This past week we saw more upsets (shocker), some close games, and we look ahead to a notable birthday this weekend at the Playland Ice Casino. Here’s your week 15 east recap highlighting a few notable events!
Wesleyan’s sweeps #6
Wesleyan (11-6-3) have clearly found their stride as of late. In their last six games, they’ve faced #3 Amherst (lost/won), #7 Hamilton (tie/win), and #6 Middlebury (win/win). Seeing this shows us the excitement of the NESCAC conference as well as the rest of women’s D3.
How it Happened
Both games were very close, both games were tied with less than two minutes remaining in each. Game one featured a Wesleyan game-winner in overtime at 2:44 by Brigitte Goeler-Slough. The two previous goals in this one came in the middle frame, Christina Tournas for Wesleyan (7:28) & Cat Appleyard for Middlebury (17:19).
In game two, the Cardinals jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the 1st which held until a quarter of the way through the 2nd. Brigitte Goeler-Slough scored again in this one (11:50) and her teammate Dylan Green scored a brisk 2:50 later. Middlebury tied it up, scoring a pair in three minutes, it was Kate Flynn and Raia Schluter.
Caroline Mezias would then score the winner late in the 3rd at 18:42 to give the Cardinals the massive series sweep to go along with the tough stretch of games they’ve faced as of late.
#3 Plattsburgh vs Canton
Plattsburgh, who’s run the NEWHL/SUNYAC conference for the past five years, entered to face Canton, a team who’s been on the come up.
To recap the two very close games of 2-1 apiece, we turn to the Plattsburgh junior from Minnesota, Bridget Orr, she had a trio of goals on the weekend, a pair coming in game two, which included the game-winner.
Briefly reviewing these games, in game one, there was a goal scored in each period, Orr at 16:59 of the 1st, Victoria McGarrity at 9:34 of the 2nd, tying it up for the Roos of Canton, then the Cardinals’ Ciara Wall found the winning goal on the powerplay at 7:36.
Game two was similar, but this time the 1st period was scoreless. Then, Bridget Orr took over for about three minutes. She scored late in the 2nd at 18:47, then quickly out of the locker room she found a goal a mere 28 seconds into the final frame. Anna Pavalasova found the back of the net for the Roos a brief four minutes later at 4:06, but it wasn’t enough, like game one. Goaltender Lila Nease made 13-saves in the 2-1 victory for Plattsburgh.
Williams upsets #9 Trinity
Another NESCAC “upset”, this time it’s the Eps of Williams picking up the huge win over #9 Trinity. Williams will have faced once the regular season is over, a ranked opponent in their final 13 games. Versus Trinity, they split, but that broke a streak of losses in their last eight games, winning only two.
In this one the scoring came later in the game, no goals in the opening period, but Williams scored near the midway mark of the 2nd. Cloe Noxon gave the Eps the lead 7:21 into the 2nd period. We entered the final period with a 1-0 Eps lead.
In the 3rd, Trinity got one back with some time left on the clock at the (14:00) mark, Paige Kehoe.
The NESCAC is falling as it usually does, no pun intended, but every team can win that conference and it’s a good brand of hockey.
A birthday party at Playland
This Friday, February 9, Stevenson visits Manhattanville for a pair of featured games, but some could argue there’s a bigger storyline at hand here.
We take this time to wish Head Coach Jennifer MacAskill an early Happy Birthday who will be celebrating her youthful career as she matures another year at the Playland Ice Casino.
I asked Coach MacAskill a few questions regarding the celebration of her birth, beginning with what she wishes for her team this late in the season: “My wish is to stay injury free as we enter the final weeks of the regular season and to stay out of the penalty box… and a championship would be the icing on the cake.”
I asked: What’s a gift that your team would give you for your birthday based on things they see from you daily?
“A new pair of game day shoes, a pack of sweet mint gum, some practice pucks and a new laptop charger….”
And finally, I had to include a question about Playland, in which Coach MacAskill revealed something potentially in the works, this is what she said when I asked if she’d rather be anywhere else than Playland on her birthday, she said: “No better place exists! The disco ball would be a nice touch.”
Will we see a disco ball goal celebration? While introducing the lineups? Stay tuned as the Valiants look to hold on to 3rd place in the UCHC league standings heading into the playoffs!
