Middlebury College players and fans celebrate the eventual game-winning goal in the third period of the NCAA Division III national championship game. The top-ranked Middlebury College women’s ice hockey team got one step closer to its first national championship since 2006 with a 3-2 semifinal victory over Elmira College Saturday at Chip Kenyon Arena in Middlebury, Vermont.

A game featuring two of the top three defenses in the nation unsurprisingly went through the first period without a goal, as the teams exchanged scoring chances early.

The scoring began at 8:10 of the second period as Middlebury sophomore forward Cat Appleyard got the hosts on the board with a power-play goal.

Junior forward Jenna Letterie passed the puck from the top of the right faceoff circle to Senior forward Katie Hargrave at the goal line. Hargrave took one touch on the puck to find Appleyard at the right hash marks before Appleyard sent the one-timer on the net for the goal.

Middlebury College players and fans celebrate the eventual game-winning goal in the third period of the NCAA Division III national championship game. The visitors got back even just 1:01 later on the game clock, however.

Senior forward Morgan Mordini beat two Panthers to the puck in the right corner before sending a centering pass toward the slot. The puck took a slight deflection off the skate of graduate forward Emma Crocker before finding senior forward Eliza Beaudin in the low right circle, where Beaudin sent a low-angle shot to sneak in just below the glove of Middlebury freshman goaltender Sophia Merageas.

The Panthers regained the lead at 12:44 of the second period with a goal from freshman forward Kylie Quinlan. Freshman forward Raia Schluter corralled the puck along the left half-board and passed it to fellow freshman Molly Macqueen in the corner, who found Quinlan in the slot. Quinlan beat Elmira goaltender Leonie-Louise Kuehberger with a toe drag to get around the left pad.

Middlebury gained the crucial insurance goal at 8:13 of the third period with a goal from senior captain Madie Leidt. Letterie controlled the puck bouncing off the back of the goal before finding Leidt in the slot of the one-timer.

Elmira managed to get some offensive pressure late in the third, cutting the deficit in half at 15:46. After an icing call, Elmira senior forward Mary McCafferty won the defensive-zone faceoff, and freshman forward Erika Goleniak chipped the puck up the boards to herself into the offensive zone on the right-wing. Gollnick beat the Middlebury defenseman with a pass to junior forward Holley Riva in the slot, who buried the puck behind Merageas.

The Soaring Eagles were unable to complete the comeback.

Kuehberger made 29 saves in the 3-2 loss for Elmira, while Merageas stopped 16 of the 18 shots she faced in the Middlebury goal.

With the win, Middlebury advanced to Saturday’s Division III Women’s Ice Hockey National Championship Game against Gustavus Adolphus, while Elmira fell to the third-place game against Plattsburgh. Gallery

Quinnipiac's Griffin Mendel (6) with the poke check on Colgate's Alex Dipaolo (28) as they broke into the offensive zone, it would be the return of the ECAC Men's Hockey championships after a 2-year break because of the Covid-19 pandemic to Lake Placid and the Herb Brooks Arena and the fans would welcome them back with 4200 in attendance. The first semi-final of the day would feature the #1 Quinnipiac Bobcats and the #5 Colgate Red Raiders with the winner looking to play for a title on Saturday night. The game would start of good for top seeded bobcats as they would get the opening goal of the game at the 9:23 mark of the first period on the powerplay from Joey Cipollone for the 1-0 lead. The Bobcats would expand their lead to 2-0 with 3:17 left in the first period on the goal by Michael Lombardi as they would end the first period. Although the Red Raiders would come out in the second period and looking to get back in the game and they would on the Griffin Lunn goal just 4:13 into the period. Although that would be the only goal of the period and the Bobcats would hold the 2-1 lead as the second period would come to an end. The teams would go back and forth in the third period and just about halfway through the third period the Bobcats would regain the two goal lead at 3-1 on the Wyatt Bongiovanni. From there the Bobcats would clamp down on the defense and hold on for the 3-1 win. In the winning effort Quinnipiac's Yaniv Perets would make saves on the night as they head back to the ECAC Championship against the winner of Clarkson and Harvard while Colgate's Mitch Benson would make 30 saves in the lose. Gallery

Plattsburgh sophomore forward Rivers Morris pokes the puck away from Gustavus Adolphus junior Emily Olson in the neutral zone. The Plattsburgh State women’s ice hockey team saw its quest for another NCAA Division III national championship end in the semifinal round Friday with a 5-1 loss to Gustavus Adolphus College at Chip Kenyon Arena in Middlebury, Vermont.

The game could hardly have started better for the defending champions, as senior defenseman Emma Killeen put the Cardinals on the board just 1:21 into the game with a snipe from the left point to the blocker side.

The elation from that goal was short-lived, however. Just 45 seconds after Killeen’s goal, junior forward Molly McHugh tied the game for the Golden Gusties off an assist from senior forward Kristina Press and junior forward Hailey Holland.

Holland gained the lead for Gustavus Adolphus at 13:25 of the first period with what would prove to be the game-winner. Press and Holland crossed paths below the goal line, and once Press was behind the Plattsburgh goal, causing goaltender Chloe Beaubien to shift to the far post, she passed the puck back to Holland for the tap-in goal.

The Golden Gusties outshot the Cardinals in the opening period 12-4.

Gustavus Adolphus kept the pressure on Plattsburgh in the second period, scoring a power-play goal just before three minutes to cushion their lead. Holland corralled a pass from senior defenseman Kayla Vrieze and sent a shot in from the right faceoff circle, which was saved by Beaubien before Press jumped on the rebound to send the puck home.

Just 21 seconds later, the Cardinals appeared to cut the deficit to 1 with a goal off a deflection by sophomore forward Mae Olshansky, but after a lengthy video review, the goal was disallowed due to a high stick.

With the goal overturned, the Golden Gusties rode the momentum the rest of the way.

Gustavus Adolphus ended the second period with a 4-1 lead, scoring a shorthanded goal on Plattsburgh’s only power play of the game. Sophomore forward Brooke Power picked the pocket of graduate defenseman Erin McArdle at the Gustavus blue line and skated in alone on substitute goaltender Ashley Davis for the unassisted goal.

Gustavus Adolphus freshman forward Hannah Gray scored the only goal of the third period unassisted at the 4:49 mark. Gray blocked a shot from junior defenseman Mack Emery at the Gustavus blue line and hustled to get the puck in the neutral zone. Gray sent a wrist shot from just outside the left faceoff dot that slipped just below Davis’s blocker.

In net for the Cardinals, Beaubien and David made 13 and 17 shots, respectively. Gustavus Adolphus goaltender Katie McCoy made 15 saves as the Golden Gusties led shot 35-16

With the win, Gustavus Adolphus advanced to the NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey Championship game Saturday against hosts Middlebury College, while Plattsburgh fell to the third-place game against Elmira College.

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The Ichabod Crane Riders are awarded the 2022 NYSPHSAA Class B Northern Regional champions. It would be the last game of the 2022 NYSPHSAA Northern Regionals finals from Clinton Community College and it would feature the #8 Ichabod Crane Riders and the Plattsburgh Hornets in boy's class b action. The game would start off good for the Riders as they would streak out to a 20-6 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, it would be more of the same for the Riders as they would have a 17-6 quarter and take a 37-12 lead into the break. When they came back for the second half the Hornets still would have no answer for the Riders as they would get outscored 38-19 and fall to the Riders 75-31, In the winning effort the #8 Ichabod Crane Riders would punch their ticket to Glens Falls and the NYSPHSAA Class B Boy's Basketball final four and the Plattsburgh Hornets season would come to an end at a mark of 16-5. Gallery

The Schalmont Sabres have crowned the 2022 NYSPHSAA Class B Northern Regional champions. It would be the #2 Schalmont Sabres taking on the #6 Saranac Chiefs in the NYSPHSAA Class B Girl's Basketball Northern Regional Finals. The game would start off low-scoring but tight as they would be tied at six after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the #2 Sabres would go on a tear and open the game up with an 18-3 quarter and take a 24-9 into the locker room. When the teams came back for the third quarter the #6 Chiefs would try and have an answer for the Sabres as they would win the quarter by a slim 16-13 but still trail in the game at 37-25. In the fourth quarter, the Sabres would leave little hope of a Chiefs comeback with a 17-5 quarter and a Sabres 54-30 win. In the winning effort, the #2 Schalmont Sabres advance to the NYSPHSAA Class B Girl's Basketball final at Hudson Valley Community College as the Saranac Chiefs comes to an end at 19-4. Gallery

The Oppenheim-Ephratah/St. Johnsville Wolves have crowned the NYSPHSAA Class D Boy's Basketball Northern Regional champions. It would be the 2022 NYSPHSAA Class D Boy's Basketball Northern Regional Finals and it would feature #13 Seton Catholic Knights and #15 Oppenheim-Ephratah/St. Johnsville Wolves. It would be a tight game through the first quarter but the Wolves would take a 17-14 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Wolves would start to take control of the game as they had a 15-5 quarter and take a 32-19 lead into the intermission. When the teams came back for the second half and third quarter the Knights would step up their defense and have a 12-8 quarter but would still trail in the game 40-31. In the fourth quarter, both teams would bring their offense as they would go for the knockout punches and the Wolves would get the 17-16 quarter to secure the 57-46. In the winning effort the Oppenheim-Ephratah/St. Johnsville Wolves would punch their ticket to the NYSPHSAA Class D Boy's Basketball final four at the Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls and the Seton Catholic Knights season comes to end at 16-8. Gallery

The Hartford Tanagers have crowned the 2022 NYSPHSAA Class D Girl's Basketball Northern Regional champions. It would be the NYSPHSAA Class D Girl's Basketball regionals finals that would take place between the #3 Hartford Tanagers and the #6 Boquet Valley Griffins from Clinton Community College. The #3 Tanagers would get off to a good start and take an 18-12 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Tanagers would start to pull away from the Griffins with a 15-6 quarter and take a sizeable lead of 33-18 in the intermission. When the teams came back for the second half and third quarter the Griffins would start to find their game and would cut into the deficit with a 17-12 quarter and trail 45-35 as they head into the fourth quarter. In that fourth, it would not be without drama as the Griffins would get as close as four points but just not have the firepower down the stretch and have a 16-12 quarter and fall short 57-51. With the win, the Hartford Tanagers would punch their ticket to the NYSPHSAA Class D Girls Basketball final four next weekend at Hudson Valley Community College and the Boquet Valley Griffins season comes to an end with an 18-6 season and a top ten ranking in the state. Gallery

Plattsburgh’s Annie Katonka (47) falls to the ice in celebration after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime. The Plattsburgh State women’s ice hockey team advanced to its ninth straight - and 14th overall - trip to the NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey semifinal with a 3-2overtime win Saturday over the Mules of Colby College.

Division III’s leading goalscorer, Annie Katonka, netted goals number 33 and 34 of the season, including the game-winner in overtime.

Katonka scored the opening goal of the game at 14:01 of the first period, redirecting a shot from linemate Ivy Boric to beat Colby Goaltender Nina Prunster. That goal proved to be the only tally of the first period.

The Cardinals doubled their lead midway through the second period, once again with a redirection to beat Prunster. Junior defenseman Kendall Wasik let loose a shot from the right point, and senior forward Sara Krauseneck got her stick on it in the crease to change the angle. Freshman forward Lily Stumm got the secondary assist on the goal.

The two-goal lead lasted just six minutes before the Mules got on the board with a powerplay goal late in the second period, as sophomore forward Meg Rittenhouse hit the snipe shot from the blue line on the powerplay, assisted by senior forward McKinley Karpa and freshman defenseman Anna Staton

The Cardinals ended the second period with a 2-1 lead, but the Mules controlled play for the early part of the third.

At 7:43 of the third period, senior forward Lexi Cafiero tied the game off a pass from Rittenhouse, with Karpa getting the secondary assist.

Plattsburgh held a narrow 13-12 lead in shots on goal in the third period but was unable to beat Prunster, so the game went to overtime.

A goal at 3:24 of the overtime period ended the game and sent the Cardinals on to the semifinal round of the NCAA tournament. As Katonka skated in from the half-boards on the left side, she pulled the puck across her body toward the goal line to get around Colby defenseman Klara Jandusikova before evading Prunster’s poke check with toe drag.

Katonka tripped over the outstretched leg of Prunster as she deposited the puck into the net, and she rolled on her back with her arms out wide welcoming her teammates to pile onto her in celebration.

With the win, the Cardinals advanced to the NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey semifinals for the 14th time overall. The semifinals and final will be hosted by Middlebury College, where Plattsburgh will face Gustavus Adolphus at 3 p.m. Friday. Gallery

Plattsburgh State's Kate Kennedy (21) and the Cadets defender battle for the ball on the Cardinals side of the field. The Plattsburgh State Cardinals would open up the home portion of their season as they would battle in a nonleague game against the Norwich Cadets. The game would start off good for the home Cardinals as they would jump out to a 5-1 at the end of the first quarter on goals from Emily Caoili, Caroline Noia (three), Lindsay Guzzetta. In the second quarter, the Cardinals would add three more from Caroline Noia (fourth), Emily Caoili (twice), and Maddy Garcia and take the 8-1 lead into the break. When the teams came back for the third quarter the Cardinal offense would stay hot as they would add six goals from Caroline Noia (fifth), Caitlin Nash (third), Lindsay Guzzetta (second), and Fiona Fitzgerald as they soar to 14-3 lead as they entered the fourth quarter the Cardinals would add three more from Emily Caoili (third), Davina Gyedu, and Maddy Garcia (twice) as the Cardinals secure the 17-5 win an get there record back to 1-1 on the season. Gallery

The Plattsburgh Hornets have been crowned the 2022 Section VII Class B Champions at Clinton Community College. It would be the last Section VII championship of the weekend as the upset-minded #5 Northeastern Clinton Cougars would do battle with the #2 Plattsburgh Hornets. The Cinderella season would like would continue for the Cougars as they would have the 15-11 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Hornets offense would come alive with an 18-10 quarter and have a 29-25 lead at the intermission. When the teams came back for the third quarter the offense would stay hot as they would put together a 20-11 quarter and take the 49-36 lead into the fourth quarter. In that fourth quarter, the Hornets would put the final touches on the game with a 16-8 quarter and secure the 66-44 victory and the 2022 Section VII Class B championship. With the win, the Plattsburgh Hornets will enter the NYSPHSAA Class B Tournament and will advance to the quarterfinals on March 12th against the winner of the sections x and ii winners. With the loss, the dream season for the Northeastern Clinton Cougars comes to an end at 9-14. Gallery