Oswego Falls to Utica

The Oswego State women's ice hockey team was unable to complete a second comeback in as many games, falling to Utica College, 3-1, in the second game of a home-and-home series on Saturday afternoon at the Campus Center Ice Arena. 

Utica's Carmen Johnson scored twice and Megan Myers tallied a goal and an assist, as the Pioneers won their first conference game this season.

Following a scoreless first period that featured 18 total shots and four combined penalties, Utica scored the first goal of the game at 12:32 of the second period on Johnson's first of two goals on the game. Myers received a pass from Samantha Pucci behind the net and found Johnson in front of the net, who beat Oswego State goaltender Catherine Cote (So., Val D'Or, Quebec) five hole for the game's first goal. 

Myers gave Utica a two-goal lead at 15:24 of the second period. Myers, who assisted on the Pioneers' first goal just a few minutes earlier, beat Cote on her glove side after Cote attempted to cover the puck up with her glove following a shot from Meghan McMahon, but the puck was kicked away off the skate of a Laker defender. The puck made its way onto Myers' stick and she capitalized, giving Utica a 2-0 lead heading into the second period intermission. 

The Lakers were held scoreless during the first two periods despite registering 33 shots on goal, 20 of which came in the second period. Oswego State had a few opportunities to get on the scoreboard, but Utica goaltender Jennifer Hamel kept the Lakers scoreless, making 33 saves in the first 40 minutes of the game. 

Oswego State cut the Utica lead to one at 2:57 of the third period after assistant captain Jillian Bergeron (Sr., Brockville, Ont.) scored off a slap shot from the slot between two Utica defenders. Bergeron skated into the Utica defensive zone and fired a slap shot that beat Hamel stick side top shelf to give the Lakers their first goal of the game. 

Utica sealed the victory with a goal late in the third period at 18:15 to give the Pioneers a two-goal lead. Johnson skated into the Oswego State defensive zone and sent a slap shot through traffic from the blue line that would get deflected in mid air by a defender's stick, redirected the puck over the stick-side shoulder of Cote. 

All four goals were scored at even strength, as both teams finished 0-for-4 on the power play. The Lakers outshot the Pioneers 39-29 for the game, but registered just six shots on goal during the third period.

With the loss, the Lakers dropped to 2-3-1 overall and 2-1-1 in ECAC West play, while the Pioneers improved to 3-3-0 overall and 1-3-1 in ECAC West play.

The Lakers continue conference play on Friday, Nov. 19 when they travel to Potsdam for a two-game series with the Bears.