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Just over a minute into the third period, Clarkson’s Anne Cherkowski skated with the puck down the left side into the Syracuse defensive zone on the power play. Cherkowski swung the puck to Dominique Petrie who drew in SU defenders before crossing it back to Cherkowski. The forward received the puck and wristed it past Syracuse goaltender Allie Kelley to give the Golden Knights a 2-0 lead.

After scoring once in the opening 40 minutes, Cherkowski’s score started a four-goal third period for No. 5 Clarkson (16-0-2, 5-0-1 Eastern College Athletic Conference) to defeat Syracuse (3-12-2, 0-5-1 College Hockey America) 5-0 on Saturday. Despite Kelley’s second most saves this season (42), Clarkson peppered her goal all night, totalling 47 shots on target. After losing 4-1 on Tuesday, Syracuse and head coach Britni Smith, who spent eight seasons as an assistant at Clarkson, suffered the sweep.

The Golden Knights were first to apply pressure, firing 16 of the game’s first 19 shots. Five and a half minutes into the first period Clarkson’s Sena Catterall got out on the break creating a 1-on-1 opportunity with Kelley but fired wide of the cage. Catterall’s effort was the first of 13 shots in a row for the Golden Knights.

SU’s Rachel Teslak halted the run temporarily by firing four shots midway through the period, but only one made its way to Clarkson goaltender Julia Minotti.

As Clarkson began to mount the pressure, SU’s Jocelyn Fiala was called for hooking, giving the Golden Knights their first power play. Brooke McQuigge and Nicole Gosling each fired at the goal but Kelley denied both shots.

Less than four minutes later, Syracuse received its second penalty when Tatum White got called for body checking. A minute later. Cherkowski worked her way into the left corner of Syracuse’s defensive zone and saw McQuigge standing by the crease. Cherkowksi flipped the puck towards the goal. After deflecting the puck found its way to McQuigge who tapped the puck past Kelley to give Clarkson a 1-0 lead with less than five minutes left in the first period.

Rayla Clemens created a chance on a breakaway with a minute left in the period but Minotti covered it up to record her sixth save. Neither team added a goal, and after 20 minutes, Clarkson led 1-0, leading 16-6 in shots on goal.

In the second period, both goaltenders held each team scoreless. Kelley stopped all 15 shots she faced including on a shot from Cherkowski during a 2-1 Clarkson fast break advantage. Clemens and Darci Johal each led breakaway opportunities for SU but couldn’t muster it past Minotti, who thwarted seven shots from SU in the second period. In the final minute of the period, each team was called for penalties leading to 4-on-4 play to start the third period.

Teslak fired the first shot of the third period but missed wide, leading to possession for the Golden Knights. Just over a minute into the period, Catterall re-entered the game following her penalty.

Just 11 seconds later, Cherkowski executed the give-and-go with Petrie to double the Golden Knights lead at 2-0.

Two minutes later, Rebecca Morissette created an opening on the left side to wrist it past Kelley for a 3-0 Clarkson lead. Nine seconds following the goal, Clarkson committed its second penalty which created an opportunity for Syracuse to get on the board. But the penalty was matched 27 seconds later by White who was called for hooking and slashing.

Up a player again, Clarkson brought the pressure on Kelley, who saved shots from Gosling and McQuigge. At the 6:58 mark, Cherkowski was left open on the crease and Haley Winn delivered her the puck for a tip-in, putting Clarkson up 4–0. It was Cherkowski’s second score of the and her ninth of the season.

With just under 10 minutes left Laurence Frenette scored a rebound to give Clarkson a 5-0 lead. It was the Golden Knights’ fourth goal in a nine minute span.

Syracuse came close to scoring as Maya D’Arcy hit the post with three minutes remaining but ultimately was held scoreless. Clarkson’s four goal third period came on 16 shots on goal while limiting Syracuse to four. The Golden Knights converted on half of their power play chances (3-for-6) while holding the Orange to 0-for-3 to hand SU its eighth loss of the last nine games.

Published on November 25, 2023 at 9:20 pm