Clarkson Rallies Late for Win Over Princeton
| Scoring Summary | |
|---|---|
| 1st - 04:27 | Stearns, Corey (Princeton) |
| 3rd - 07:30 | Baribeau, Juana (Clarkson) |
| 3rd - 13:48 | Mercer, Carly (Clarkson) |
| 3rd - 17:19 | PP - Waldie, Melissa (Clarkson) |
| 3rd - 18:45 | PP - Stearns, Corey (Princeton) |
| Clarkson | Princeton |
|---|---|
|
G:
3 Players (#15, #23, #25 - 1)
A: Carly Mercer - 2 Sh: Jamie lee Rattray - 7 Sv: Erica Howe - 20 |
G:
Corey Stearns - 2
A: 3 Players (#2, #9, #14 - 1) Sh: 2 Players (#5, #18 - 4) Sv: Rachel Weber - 41 |
| TEAM STATISTICS | Clarkson | Princeton |
|---|---|---|
| Power Plays | 1 for 6 | 1 for 6 |
| Shorthanded Goals | 0 | 0 |
| Penalties (min) | 7 (14) | 7 (14) |
| Shots on Goal | 44 | 22 |
| Face Offs Won | 24 | 34 |
The Princeton women's hockey team was five periods into a perfect return weekend to ECAC play, but it was the sixth and final one that cost Princeton a 12th win on the season. Despite another impressive effort from junior goaltender Rachel Weber, who made 41 saves Saturday afternoon, Clarkson used a three-goal surge in the third period to rally past Princeton 3-2 at Baker Rink.
A mini-breakaway goal by Corey Stearns early in the game and 22 saves over the first two periods by Weber sent Princeton into the second intermission break with a 1-0 lead. Clarkson had outshot the Tigers 14-6 in the second period, but Princeton had done everything it could to keep its shutout weekend going. It lasted more than seven minutes and a couple power plays into the third period, but Clarkson's control of the offensive zone finally resulted in a goal when Juana Baribeau took a pass from Carly Miller and backhanded a low shot through traffic and past Weber.
Princeton was finally able to even the possession a bit after the tying goal, but momentum stayed firmly on Clarkson's side, and six minutes later, Carly Mercer scored on the doorstep off a pass from Danielle Skirrow to give the Golden Knights a 2-1 lead. A power-play tally from Melissa Waldie at the 17:19 mark of the third opened the lead to 3-1 and seemingly knocked Princeton out of the game.
The Tigers, however, refused to fold in front of their home crowd, and they put together a late surge of their own. Head coach Jeff Kampersal pulled Weber for the extra attacker, and a hooking penalty to Vanessa Gagnon made it a six-on-four advantage. Only six seconds later, Stearns took a pass from Sherry inside the left circle and scored on Erica Howe.
Fifteen seconds later, Clarkson took another penalty, and Princeton again held a six-on-four advantage. This time, the Clarkson defense stiffened, and one final defensive play along the right boards sent the puck out of the zone and clinched the win for the Tigers.
Princeton had held a 1-0 lead off a quick connection from Kelly Cooke to Stearns; it was Cooke's pass that led Stearns past the blue line and inside the left circle with nobody in front besides Howe. She found the net to give Princeton a lead it held for more 40 minutes.
Princeton will play two critical games next weekend during a road trip to Harvard (Friday, 7) and Dartmouth (Saturday, 4). Both teams are currently ahead of the Tigers in the ECAC standings with three weeks remaining in the regular season.
