Knights to play for title
POTSDAM — The puck that sent the Clarkson women's team to its first ECAC Hockey championship game will not be stored in a trophy case.
Sophomore defenseman Katelyn Ptolemy scored her first career goal with 2 minutes, 7 seconds left in the third period to give the Golden Knights a 3-2 victory over Harvard in a semifinal at Cheel Arena Friday night.
She already has plans for the puck, which she was given shortly after the goal that came on a shot from just inside the blue line and slid through several players before finding its way into the net.
"I'm probably going to put it by my bed," Ptolemy said. "I've been waiting far too long for this to happen. To get it at that time was an unbelievable feeling. I couldn't even see the puck as it went to the net. I knew it went in, and I knew I shot it, so I was hoping that it might have been me."
Clarkson (23-10-5) will travel to Ithaca to play regular-season champion Cornell in the title game at 4 p.m. Sunday. The winner gets an automatic bid to the eight-team NCAA Tournament, but Clarkson appears headed there win or lose.
The win over Harvard (20-7-5) marked the second straight week in which the Golden Knights eliminated a past nemesis from the conference tournament. Last weekend it was St. Lawrence University, which Clarkson defeated in a three-game quarterfinal series.
"It's definitely sweet revenge," said Clarkson goalie Lauren Dahm. "Getting SLU last weekend and now Harvard. These are the two teams that have always gotten us when we make (the postseason). We keep on paying teams back."
Clarkson struck first in Friday's game, as Daris Tendler scored on a shot from between the faceoff circles at 6 minutes, 7 seconds of the opening period, with Gabrielle Kosziwka and Juana Baribeau assisting.
Harvard controlled play for most of the second period, outshooting the Golden Knights 13-5 and building a 2-1 lead.
Kate Buesser tied the game at 8:51 when she was positioned alone on the side of the crease and tipped in a pass from Josephine Pucci.
Clarkson then gave Harvard a five-on-three power play when Baribeau and Tegan Schroeder were called for penalties 28 seconds apart. Harvard capitalized with a goal from Liza Ryabkina to take a 2-1 lead at 14:07.
But Clarkson got a break of its own late in the period and tied the game with a breakaway goal from Brittany Mulligan that started with a Crimson turnover. She was chased by two Crimson defenders but held them off and avoided a poke check attempt by Harvard goalie Laura Bellamy to tie the game at 17:36.
"I felt at least two (chasing)," Mulligan said. "I thought I was going to get pulled down. I was little nervous the goalie would come out and get it. It was huge. Our team is pretty good in the locker room, even when we are down by a goal. But when we finish the period strong, we come out a little better."
Said Harvard coach Katie Stone of the play, "Turnovers are tough, no matter what. That was unfortunate. But we kept coming at them. Those things happen in hockey and I thought we responded well and had plenty of chances in the third period, too. They are good. I'm not going to take anything away from Clarkson, they are good."
After Clarkson's go-ahead goal late in the third, Stone pulled Bellamy for an extra attacker and the Crimson peppered Dahm with several shots.
"It felt like forever," said Dahm. "They had pucks pouncing everywhere. Somehow I finally got a piece of them."
As soon as the horn sounded to end the game Clarkson's players leapt off the bench and skated down toward Dahm, forming a pile of bodies on the ice. Captain Brittany Selina jumped into Caitlin Oleksa, then hugged Melissa Waldie.
"It's exciting," said Clarkson co-coach Matt Desrosiers, who was on two men's championship teams as a player at SLU. "There's different things that go into it (as a coach). I was excited that I was able to experience it as a player. I'm excited for the girls that they are able to experience it now as well."
nNOTES:Two Clarkson players won individual conference honors Friday. Captain Britney Selina was named the Best Defensive Forward, and senior Carlee Eusepi was named the Best Defensive Defensemen.
