Plattsburgh RIT Pregame Article
Plattsburgh RIT Pregame Article
Published January 22, 2010 12:36 am - ECAC West rivals face off at Stafford Arena tonight in women's hockey.
http://www.pressrepublican.com/0302_college/local_story_022003619.html
Cardinals host RIT in pivotal series
By COURTNEY LEWIS
Staff Writer
PLATTSBURGH — Since the Tigers joined the ECAC West, neither RIT nor Plattsburgh State has swept the other in a regular-season series.
Stafford Ice Arena will host another installment of the always intense matchup this weekend with — as usual — a lot on the line.
The Cardinals beat the Tigers in the ECAC West Tournament semifinals last year to improve to 3-2 against RIT since 2007-08. Plattsburgh State dropped the first regular-season game in Rochester last year but bounced back the second day. RIT won the second game at Stafford two seasons ago.
"If you lose that first game, the second game you're like, 'All right, well we can't lose this one,'" Plattsburgh State junior Brittany Meade said. "Our outlook this year is we don't want to lose either of them. And we're on home ice, so I think it's definitely our advantage."
Plattsburgh State (10-1-1, 8-0-1 ECACW) could essentially lock up first place in the conference this weekend. Or, RIT (10-2-3, 5-1-2) could make a move up the standings. The Cardinals are at the top with 17 points, five ahead of the Tigers, who have played one less game. Plattsburgh State took four points from second-place Elmira early in the season, while RIT picked up just one point against the Soaring Eagles two weeks ago.
If the Cardinals earn even one point this weekend, they'll be tough to catch. RIT would have to win out and hope Plattsburgh State gives up a point somewhere — and the Cardinals' games after this week are against teams currently in fifth place or lower.
With a disappointing Jan. 9 tie against Utica still in the back of their minds, the Cardinals know this is a chance to put themselves in great position.
"It's definitely extra motivation, I think, and definitely pressure," Meade said. "I know I play better under pressure and better against a team like this."
The Tigers and Cardinals are both ranked in the top five of the USCHO.com Division III Women's Poll and are both 3-1-1 in the second semester. They're also both in the top three nationally in scoring offense and power-play percentage. Plattsburgh State's scoring defense has been better (third vs. 14th), while RIT's penalty kill ranks 12th and Plattsburgh State's is 27th.
The Cardinals have allowed an uncharacteristic seven power-play goals this season, but coach Kevin Houle said that when they've really needed it, the penalty kill has been strong.
"I think we've always been in the top two or three in the country as far as our PK goes," Houle said. "And this year we're down a bit there, so we've got to do a better job killing penalties.
"But the power-play goals we've given up, I don't think they've hurt us. Some have been at the end of games or in games that were kind of in hand. I think in a lot of games, we've done a nice job of killing penalties."
And Plattsburgh State has usually won the special teams battle because its own power play has produced 14 goals. Houle added that he expects special teams to be key this weekend.
RIT junior Sarah Dagg (9-16-25) is third in Division III in points per game, and junior Katie Stack (16-4-20) is second in goals per game.
Like the Cardinals, the Tigers lost their two-year starter in net. Sophomore Amy Torgerson and freshman Carley King have shared goaltending duties this season. Torgerson has played five games this semester and is 6-0-2 overall.
"RIT is a very fast team, and I'm expecting this to be a very fast-paced game (today)," Meade said. "And it's all about the first period — who comes out strong. And that's what our main focus is, coming out strong in the first period and keeping that up throughout the entire game."
Notes: Plattsburgh State's Teal Gove picked up her second straight ECAC West Rookie of the Week award on Monday. The forward from Berwick, Ont. is on a three-game scoring streak ... Houle said co-captains Stephanie Moberg and Laurie Bowler, who missed last Friday's game at St. Anselm, are both healthy and will play this weekend.
