MacDonald Scores Overtime Winner and Forces Game 3

Saturday, February 24

Ithaca, N.Y.

3:00 PM

Princeton University

14-13-4, 11-10-1

Cornell

20-8-3, 15-5-2

Team	1	2	3	OT 1	F
Princeton	1	2	1	1	5
Cornell	2	2	0	0	4

Photo by: Shelley M. Szwast

MacDonald Scores Overtime Winner and Forces Game 3

February 24, 2018 | Women's Ice Hockey

Box Score

It was win or go home and the Tigers aren't going home. Freshman Annie MacDonald scored the game-winning goal in overtime of Game 2 of the ECAC quarterfinal series at Cornell to lift Princeton to a 5-4 win over the No. 5-ranked Big Red and force a decisive Game 3 tomorrow.

It was quick transition goal after Princeton (14-13-4) blocked a shot the Tigers took a 3-on-2 the other way and she buried a pass from senior captain Kiersten Falck from the high slot beating Marlene Boissonnault blocker side.

The game-winning goal from Annie MacDonald sets up a decisive Game 3 tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/9TcvzvBGwm
— Princeton Hockey (@PWIH) February 24, 2018

Cornell (20-8-3) took a 2-1 Game 1 yesterday and looked to be in control of today's game as it scored goals 26 seconds apart to take a 2-0 lead in the first 5:11.

Princeton responded with three straight goals however, getting two from its power-play unit and junior Stephanie Sucharda having a hand in all three.

The Tigers cut their deficit back to one with just one second remaining in the first period, converting on the power play. Bullock essentially got things rolling when she took a shot from the right face off circle that popped up into the air and the Big Red attempted to clear it out before Sucharda kept the puck in the zone. Falck set up Bullock again from the slot and Boissoinnault went down to make the save but the puck remained loose and Sucharda was able to get the last tough, lifting it over the spread out Boissonnault.

The power play was a factor in the second goal as well, as the momentum carried over as freshman Sarah Verbeek scored just five seconds after the Sarah Knee penalty expired. Sucharda rifled a shot from the right circle that got slowed down in traffic but picked up by Verbeek right out in front and she shoveled it in for her fourth of the season at 3:06 of the second.

Bullock collected her 24th goal of the season 2:27 later thanks to the effort of MacDonald to win the puck out of the corner and sent it back to the blue line. Falck and Sucharda played catch along the line before Bullock whipped a shot from the right point that made its way in blocker side.

Cornell was able to regain the lead 4-3 with two goals in the final three minutes. Diana Buckley scored at 16:57 before Lenka Serdar added the go-ahead with 10 seconds remainining in the period.

With less than five minutes to play in the third, the Tigers battled.

Freshman Sharon Frankel was able to force the overtime with a great solo effort at 16:22 when she put in her own rebound after Boissonnault gave it up and Frankel was able to slip it underneath her.

For the second straight game Princeton outshot Cornell with Boissonault making 26 saves and Princeton sophomore Stephanie Neatby stopping 22 in the win.