Tigers split pair versus Mercyhurst

On Friday night, Princeton (5-3-2 overall, 2-1-1 Eastern College Athletic Conference Hockey League) seemed content to play for an overtime period. Unfortunately for the No. 6 Tigers, their opponents, No. 7 Mercyhurst (7-6-0, 2-0-0 College Hockey America) wanted to win in regulation. When Princeton's defense eased up, the Lakers scored the game-winning goal in the final seconds of the third period to earn a 3-2 win over the Tigers. The next night, however, Princeton made sure it did not repeat its earlier mistake, and its perseverance was rewarded with a 4-3 overtime victory against the same Mercyhurst squad.

The Lakers' last-second goal in the Friday matchup at Baker Rink was hard to swallow. With just one second left in a 2-2 game, Mercyhurst forward Valerie Chouinard fought her way through traffic and launched a Laker goal past senior goalie Roxanne Gaudiel.

After a scoreless first period, Mercyhurst got on the board 51 seconds into the second. Forward Samantha Shirley received the puck from Chouinard in front of the net and positioned herself to backhand the puck past Gaudiel. The Lakers remained on the offensive for the majority of the period, but Gaudiel was able to keep the puck out of the net for the rest of the second period. She finished the game with 30 saves.

Princeton knotted the game at one 18 minutes, 39 seconds into the second period with a goal from freshman forward Annie Greenwood. While junior forward Kim Pearce wrestled with a Mercyhurst player along the boards, junior forward Laura Watt was able to gain control of the puck. She passed it to Greenwood, who was conveniently positioned in front of the net.

Chouinard scored off the rebound with 15:10 remaining in the third period to put the Lakers ahead, 2-1. Once again, the Tigers clawed their way back to a tie, as they capitalized on a five-on-three advantage midway through the third. Sophomore forward Marykate Oakley beat Laker goalie Laura Hosier and scored her fourth goal of the season. Watt and Pearce were credited with the assist.

As the clock wound down, the game seemed destined for overtime. But Chouinard's last-second goal prevented the game from going into the extra period.

Sweet revenge

Princeton retook the ice Saturday afternoon, determined to rid itself of the bitter taste of Friday night's loss. The deciding goal came just 23 seconds into overtime. Pearce took the puck into the Mercyhurst end and wristed a shot toward net. Hosier blocked the puck, but Greenwood corralled the rebound and sent a shot into the net for her second goal of the weekend as the Tigers claimed the 4-3 win.

The start of the game was not as promising for Princeton — once again, the Lakers scored first. After 4:28 had elapsed in the second period, forward Ashley Pendleton capitalized on the power play. Five minutes later, the Tigers had a chance to tie up the game on their own power play. Positioned in front of the Mercyhurst net, Watt guided an Oakley attempt past Hosier to score her second goal of the season.

The Lakers scored next late in the second. Chouinard passed the puck to forward Stefanie Bourbeau, who blasted the puck past Gaudiel to give Mercyhurst a 2-1 lead. Gaudiel's strong performance kept Princeton in the game, as she saved a total of 36 shots on the day.

The Tigers gained their first lead of the double-game set in the third period, as they scored two goals within the first four minutes of the period. They used the power play to their advantage again when senior forward Sarah Butsch scored and tied the game at two. Two minutes later, junior defender Dina McCumber scored a gift goal from the blue line, as Hosier slipped and could not recover before McCumber's shot slipped by her.

Princeton tried to hold on to its 3-2 lead, but the Lakers scored to send the game into an overtime period. With five minutes left in regulation, Mercyhurst went on the power play. Diving in front of the net, forward Jill Nugent knotted the game at three. Neither team was able to score from that point on — that is, until the Tigers' game-winning goal in the extra period.

Greenwood's overtime goal enabled Princeton to emerge from the Thanksgiving weekend matchup with one win and one loss.