Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Clarkson
Pearce Overtime Goal Lifts Women's Hockey to a 2-1 Win
February 04, 2005 | Women's Ice Hockey
Feb. 4, 2005
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Princeton, N.J. - Sophomore Kim Pearce redirected a pass into the top-right corner of the net with 17 seconds left in overtime to lift the ninth-ranked Princeton women's hockey team to a 2-1 win over Clarkson Friday night at Baker Rink. Princeton outshot Clarkson 48-13 in the game, but could only manage a pair of goals as Kira McDonald made 46 saves for the Golden Knights.
Princeton improved to 12-5-4 overall and 6-4-2 in the ECAC Hockey League with the win and gained ground on Brown and Yale in the race for home ice in the ECAC playoffs. Clarkson fell to 9-11-6 overall and 4-8-1 in the league with the loss. The two teams skated to a scoreless first period in which Princeton controlled play, outshooting Clarkson by a 16-4 margin. Despite the shots and two power-play chances McDonald was able to keep the Tigers off the scoreboard.
Clarkson drew the first goal at the 6:57 mark of the second period when Jill Nolan capitalized on an odd-man rush and beat Princeton goaltender Roxanne Gaudiel with a wrist shot just inside the left post. Brooke Beazer carried the puck into the Princeton zone and after drawing the Tiger defender across fed Nolan with a pass and Nolan went in alone to score her 10th goal of the season.
Princeton outshot Clarkson 10-4 in the second period but was stymied by McDonald who had 26 saves through two periods.
The Tigers finally broke through on McDonald in the third period when sophomore Liz Keady slid a rebound under McDonald 7:41 into the period. Sophomore Dina McCumber fed Pearce in the neutral zone and Pearce skated into the Clarkson end, split two defenders and took a shot that McDonald saved, but in the ensuing scrum, Keady was able to win the race to the rebound and slid it by McDonald before she could cover it up, for her ninth goal of the season.
Princeton outshot Clarkson 19-4 in the period for a 45-13 margin in regulation. The Tigers had several chances late as Clarkson's Lindsay Williams went off for tripping at the 19:13 mark of the third period.
Princeton controlled much of the play in overtime but was unable to get a quality shot on net for the first four minutes. In the final minute, the Tigers achieved the zone for one last attempt. The puck came to McCumber at the left point and she slid it across the blueline to sophomore Kate Hession. Hession fired a pass across the grain that Pearce stuck her stick out as it came through the slot, and pointed it over the right arm of McDonald as she came across the crease with just 17 seconds remaining in overtime.
The goal was Pearce's 12th of the season, her seventh game-winner and her second overtime game-winner. It was also the second straight Tiger game in which she scored the game-winning goal. McCumber's assist was her second of the game and her fifth point in the last five games for the reigning ECAC Player of the Week.
Gaudiel finished the night with 12 saves for her 12th win on the season and she lowered her goal-against average to 1.54. McDonald made 46 saves for Clarkson.
Princeton returns to action tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. with a pivotal league match up with No. 5 St. Lawrence.