On Saturday, the Big Red took on Northeastern. Northeastern put up an incredible battle, as well as putting on a very nice free broadcast. The Huskies were the first team to light the lamp, coming out of the first period with a 1-0 lead. But our Red Hot Big Red would not let that stand. Jessica Campbell tallied a beauty of a shorthanded goal just 25 seconds into the period on an assist from Brianne Jenner. The very busy second period was not yet over, though. Northeastern would not be so easily finished as that. They scored their second even-strength goal of the afternoon. Jessica Campbell scored her second of the evening, assisted by Jenner and Cassandra Poudrier. The period, however, was not over for the Lady Rouge. A power-play goal was scored by Alyssa Gagliardi, assisted by Poudrier and Laurianne Rougeau. Northeastern tried hard for a comeback in the third, but the only goal scored was an insurance goal by Brianne Jenner from Jill Saulnier. Cornell completed their come-from-behind win in their first game in over a month with a 4-2 victory.
Cornell faced Boston College on Sunday afternoon in Chestnut Hill. The game started very similarly to the game against Northeastern. BC scored less than a minute into the first and almost left the period with a 1-0 lead on the Lady Rouge. Freshman Vicky Pittens made sure it was not so. Pittens scored an even-strength goal, assisted by Erin Barley-Maloney and Hayleigh Cudmore. The first period ended 1-1, looking better than the previous day already. The second would see three goals being scored, Cornell started and ended the scoring with even-strength tallies from Emily Fulton (from Jenner) and Monika Leck (from Taylor Woods and Cassandra Poudrier). BC, however, scored on one of their three power-play opportunities in the period. The score after two was 3-2 in favor of the Lady Rouge. The third period saw a lot of opportunities but up until the final minute of regulation, the score remained the same. 19:17 into the period, the Eagles scored an extra-attacker goal, tying up the game and pushing it into overtime. In spite of showing tremendous will and fight, Boston College scored the game-winning goal 91 seconds into the five-minute overtime period. The difference, it appears, was the power play opportunities. Cornell took five penalties, while BC took four. The difference? BC capitalized on one of theirs.
These close games, while tough, are going to be extremely helpful for the ECAC playoffs and National Tournament. The women know what it is like to win and lose in tight games. Tight games are incredibly helpful. Tuesday's game, however, was anything but tight. The first period saw six goals scored, five by the Big Red and one by the Orange. Erin Barley-Maloney began the scoring, assisted by Morgan Richardson and Jessica Campbell just over two minutes into the period. Brianne Jenner went on to score 2, assisted first by Richardson and Saulnier and second by Cudmore and Saulnier. Syracuse struck back next, but the Big Red refused to let it end there. Jessica Campbell scored three-quarters of the way through the period, assisted by Poudrier and Barley-Maloney. Jill Saulnier completed the scoring for the period, assisted by Jenner and Rougeau, to put the Lady Rouge up 5-1 at the end of the first period. Cornell had the rest of the game in hand, scoring two in the second, a power-play blast by Cudmore from Campbell and Saulnier and an even-strength goal from Jenner and Gagliardi. The third period was quieter, with a single goal being tallied, by Brianne Jenner from Laura Fortino and Jill Saulnier.
So, of the last 3 games, the Lady Rouge pulled out 2 wins and an overtime loss. Not what they wanted, but more than respectable. And this weekend? Cornell takes on St. Lawrence and Clarkson.
While the Saints appear to be rising, the Knights appear to have a chink in their armor. When last Cornell met Clarkson, the Knights had only two losses to their twelve wins. Cornell also had two losses to their name at the time, one from BU and one from Harvard. Clarkson handed the Big Red their third loss of the season, the first back-to-back loss. Clarkson since has more losses of their own, one to Colgate, and a weekend sweep by Northeastern and Boston College. Last weekend they rebounded, pulling off tight wins over Yale and Brown, but Clarkson appears to have something to prove when they visit Lynah this weekend. The Big Red will be out for some revenge, but Clarkson needs to make a name for itself again with another statement win. Both Clarkson goaltenders have been stellar in the crease, but what is more dangerous is their impressive power-play unit. Clarkson is 24.7% on the power play, which ranks at number five in the country, behind Minnesota, Boston College, North Dakota, and Northeastern. Cornell, for comparison, ranks thirteen. Where Cornell has an advantage, however, is the penalty kill. Cornell's PK is number three in the country, behind only Harvard and Minnesota. Clarkson, for comparison, ranks 11. Cornell will need to stay vigilant the entire game and be better on the power play than they were last weekend. The Lady Rouge can come out of the weekend with four points. Let's Go Red!
27 - Jenner
23 - Saulnier
14 - Rougeau
12 - Cudmore
11 - Campbell, Woods
10 - Gagliardi, Poudrier
8 - Fortino, Fulton
7 - Barley-Maloney, Murray
6 - Brown, Campbell
5 - Leck, Zorn
3 - Richardson
2 - Pittens
1 - Slebodnick