PLATTSBURGH — The streak had been growing and it was going in the wrong direction.
Entering Saturday’s contest, the Plattsburgh State women’s hockey team (14-5-1, 10-3-1) had lost four straight to SUNYAC rival Cortland, which included losing the SUNYAC Tournament championship last season at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena.
“This is my fifth year here, fourth year playing against these guys,” Mae Olshansky said. “It really just means a lot to like, they took something from us last year on our home ice, in the SUNYAC final.
“So I think just coming in here and just closing out the season series with them with a win was huge.”
Olshansky sniped the game winner in Saturday’s 2-1 win, which put confidence in the team heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
“It gives us some confidence playing against Cortland and heading into next weekend and the rest of the season,’ head coach Kevin Houle said. “But we just have to worry about one game at a time right now.”
FRIDAY
CORTLAND 1
PLATTSBURGH 0
It was a homecoming of sorts for Cortland’s McKenzie Brown.
The Peru native scored the lone goal, her second of the season, midway through the second period to give the Red Dragons a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
“It’s a little surreal playing at this rink, it’s the first one I ever skated at,” Brown said. “It’s awesome to come back here and be able to play on this ice and at the collegiate level too.
“It feels like I’m at home. This is where I grew up playing hockey so it’s always awesome to come up here and play hockey.”
It was a back and forth game where neither team could truly seize control.
The Cardinals had multiple shots bounce off the post with nothing coming to fruition, and seemed at times to not be on the same page.
Cortland would hold an advantage in shots at 25-21.
“I think after the game (Friday), we all kind of thought about it and, like, put into realization that, like, we want to win and go all the way, and obviously we all care,” Adrianna Urban said. “So I think we all went to sleep last night, knowing that we want to win today.
“And obviously we came out prepared today, with a first period goal.”
SATURDAY
PLATTSBURGH 2
CORTLAND 1
What a difference a day makes.
After a scoreless first period, Friday, Urban tallied her third goal on the season, which would be the first goal the Cardinals scored against the Red Dragons all season.
The Cards looked determined to change the narrative against Cortland, as during the three penalty kills it looked as if Plattsburgh State was the team on the power play.
“We knew we had to make some changes.I think our effort level was there yesterday, but we just had to tweak things a little bit in terms of how we play and how we forecheck in defense,” Houle said. “(Cortland’s) a real, real good team, very disciplined in how they play. So, you know, we had to get some ugly goals.
“Fortunately, we got one other goal and then another really, really nice goal. So it’s a great effort from start to finish. I thought we kind of weathered the storm a little bit. In the first we came out with a goal lead, but from there on, we really turned it around.”
Plattsburgh held the 1-0 lead going into the third period when Olshansky let one loose from in front of the net. Her rocket blew past the keeper to give a cushion to the Cards lead.
“It felt good. I mean, it always feels good to score against Courtland,” Olshansky said. “It’s awesome. It’s a huge rivalry.
“It’s kind of grown since my time here, so I think it was just huge. It just felt nice to help the team.”
That cushion was especially needed in the final two minutes as Cortland cut into the deficit and pulled its goaltender.
But, Plattsburgh State didn’t waver. They didn’t allow a shot on net with the extra attacker and kept the puck in the Red Dragons’ end.
After a week traveling to Buffalo and then Middlebury, Olshanky said the team was ready for a
brief R&R, before returning to close out the regular season.
“I think to close out, we kind of had a long week, traveling to Buffalo, going to (Middlebury), coming back here, and playing two games against Cortland,” she said. “So I think everyone’s just really happy with how the last week’s gone.
“We have faced a lot of adversity, like I said, just with the travel and how the games have gone. We can just kind of relax and have the night for ourselves (Sunday).”
The Cardinals play a home-and-home with Potsdam this weekend, before closing out SUNYAC regular season play against Canton at home the following weekend.
With the way the playoffs are shaping up, the Plattsburgh State and Cortland may see each other again in the postseason.
“I mean massive. I mean, anytime you get a win on a team, it is absolutely huge, especially going into the playoffs,” Olshanksy said. “It’s kind of like knowing the devil you’re playing.
“You’re going to know how they play, especially if we end up going to their barn or if they come here. We’re gonna be ready either way.”
NOTES
After the week of losing in overtime to Middlebury, and splitting the weekend series against Cortland, Plattsburgh State dropped to #8 in the USCHO.com Division III Women’s poll. They were previously ranked #6.
SUNYAC members Oswego and Cortland stand at #7 and #9, respectively.
First year forward Kate Conlon earned SUNYAC Rookie of the Week honors for her play over the past week. She tallied two points in Saturday’s win against Cortland, earning assists on both goals.
It marked her first career multi-point game.
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Friday
Cortland 1, Plattsburgh State 0
COR 0 1 0 – 1
PSU 0 0 0 – 0
Second Period- 1. COR, Brown, 9:48
Shots- Cortland, 25-21
Saves- Goergen, COR, 21. Lewis, PSU, 24
Saturday
Plattsburgh State 2, Cortland 1
PSU 1 0 1 – 2
COR 0 0 1 – 1
First Period- 1. PSU, Urban (Wall, Conlon) 13:34
Third Period- 2. PSU, Olshansky (Wall, Conlon) 3:19. 3. COR, Aneborn (Mahoney, Delacourt).
Shots- Plattsburgh State, 27-18
Saves- Lewis, PSU, 17. Goergen, COR, 25