Box Score

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- The No. 6 St. Lawrence University women's hockey team battled back from a pair of one goal deficits to force overtime against the nation's best team, Harvard University, in the 2008 ECAC Hockey Championship game on Sunday afternoon at the Bright Hockey Center in Cambridge, MA. However, a goal off the stick of senior

All-American defenseman Caitlin Cahow only 3:33 into the extra session gave the Crimson a 3-2 win and the conference's automatic bid into the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

The Saints (28-9-1, 18-3-1) put forth a valiant effort, including a game-tying goal from junior Marianna Locke with only 2:43 to play in the third period to force overtime. Despite the loss, St. Lawrence will likely receive an at-large bid into the National Tournament later this evening when the 2008 NCAA Tournament bracket is revealed.

St. Lawrence and Harvard both had quality chances in the first period to take the lead, but goaltenders Meaghan Guckian (St. Lawrence) and Christina Kessler (Harvard) were sharp, turning away 10 and 12 shots, respectively. The biggest moment in the first period came when Guckian made a beautiful save on a breakaway chance for Harvard's Sarah Wilson midway through the stanza.

After a scoreless first period, Harvard grabbed a 1-0 lead at 6:38 of the second period on an impressive power play with senior Sabrina Harbec in the penalty box. Cori Bassett sent a pass to the blue line for an awaiting Liza Ryabkina, who rifled a slap shot past Guckian on the low-left side for her 10th of the season.

St. Lawrence, who out-shot the Crimson 13-6 in the second period and earned the majority of chances, evened the score at 1-1 at the 12:28 mark of the second. Harbec sent a pass to the top of the left circle finding sophomore Britni Smith. Smith launched a hard wrist shot off Kessler's pad, with the rebound coming to a wide open Chelsea Grills who buried a shot for her 17th of the season, leveling the score heading into the third period.

In a very evenly played period, both goaltenders came up with clutch saves to keep the game tied at 1-1. Two unfortunate bounces, however, would lead the game to a 2-2 tie after 60 minutes of hockey.

Harvard's Jenny Brine sent a soft wrist shot on goal that Guckian seemed to have well in her sights. As the netminder went to stick the puck aside to her left, it simply rolled up the blade over her stick, over her shoulder and across the goal line for her 17th of the season at 15:51 of the third period.

Though the goal would've deflated many teams, the Saints have showed resiliency throughout the ECAC Hockey Tournament, as they bounced right back only 1:26 later to even the score at 2-2. Smith attempted a wrist shot from the top of the circle to Kessler's left, but the shot was blocked by a Harvard defender. Unfortunately for the hosting-Crimson, it bounced directly to Locke inside the circle, and the Brasher Falls, NY native one-timed a shot inside the left post with Kessler out of position to send the game to overtime. Locke's 21 st goal of the season came at 17:17 of regulation.

Though both teams managed two shots on goal in the overtime period, Harvard kept consistent pressure on the Saints' defensive unit. The Crimson appeared to have the game-winner less than three minutes into overtime, but the official ruled the puck was touched by a Harvard player with a high-stick, nullifying the goal and keeping the score tied at 2-2.

However, it would take only 39 seconds for Cahow to once again allow her team to storm the ice in victory, as she wrapped up Harvard's fifth ECAC Hockey title. The senior defenseman skated the puck the length of the ice and snapped a wrist shot past Guckian on the glove side at 3:33 to end the contest and keep Harvard atop the national standings heading into the NCAA Tournament.

"I'm very proud of this team and what we've accomplished, and I thought that was a great college hockey game," said Saints head coach Paul Flanagan. "We're obviously disappointed as we played well enough to win. Meaghan (Guckian) made some huge saves for us to keep us in the game, and I'm just happy for our seniors that they have more college hockey ahead of them next weekend."

St. Lawrence finished with a 33-31 advantage in shots on goal and finished 0-for-3 on the power play while Harvard was 1-for-3 with the extra skater. Guckian closed with 28 saves in the contest and fell to 23-9-1 on the season, while Kessler picked up the victory, improving to 29-1-0 after making 31 stops.

Grills, Cahow, Kessler, Brine and Ryabkina were joined on the 2008 All-Tournament team by St. Lawrence defenseman Brittaney Maschmeyer, who was outstanding throughout the weekend on both ends of the ice for the Saints. Cahow was named the Most Outstanding Player thanks to her game-winning tally.

The Scarlet and Brown will hear their fate when the 2008 NCAA Tournament field is announced at 6:00pm on Sunday evening.