Middlebury wins the 2022 NCAA DIII women's ice hockey championship
Middlebury scores in overtime to win 2022 national championship
It took a little bit of extra time, but in the end, Middlebury took down Gustavus Adolphus, 3-2, in overtime to win the 2022 DIII women's ice hockey national championship.
With just under seven minutes remaining in overtime, Middlebury's Ellie Barney sent a shot toward Gustavus Adolphus goalie Katie McCoy. The netminder stopped it, but Barney followed up on her own chance and slammed one home to win the game and clinch a national title for Middlebury — the first for the program since 2006.
Middlebury was less than a second away from a national championship in regulation. However, with 0.1 seconds left, Gustavus Adolphus' Molly McHugh tied the game, 2-2.
Most of the night saw both teams tied, 1-1. That tie was broken with 2:47 left in the third period when Madie Leidt finished a chance to give Middlebury the lead.
Middlebury opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal midway through the first period. Gustavus Adolphus tied the game, 1-1, midway through the second when Clara Billings scored from right in front of the net.
After 3: Gust. Adolphus forces OT with incredible goal with 0.1 seconds left
Incredible.
Unbelievable game. McHugh scores the game-tying goal with 0:00.1 seconds left on the clock. We head to overtime in the NCAA championship game
— Gustavus Athletics (@GustieAthletics)
With 0.1 seconds left and the score 2-1 Middlebury, Gustavus Adolphus' Molly McHugh batted in a loose puck to tie the game, 2-2, and force overtime. After a lengthy review, the call on the ice was confirmed.
Gust. Adolphus leads in shots, 31-21, as the game heads to OT.
After 2: Gust. Adolphus ties it at 1-1
With 7:29 to play in the second period, Gust. Adolphus' Clara Billings notched a goal right in front of the net to tie the game up, 1-1.
Middlebury and Gust. Adolphus enter the third period knotted at 1-1.
After 1: 1-0 Middlebury
It took until the national championship game for Middlebury to score its first shorthanded goal of the season. But what a time for it to come.
With just over six minutes left in the first, Jenna Letterie got a breakaway and scored to give Middlebury the 1-0 lead.
Gust. Adolphus leads in shots, 12-8.
Plattsburgh St. completes comeback to win third-place game
Three periods of outshooting Elmira finally paid off for Plattsburgh State.
The Cardinals took their first lead of the game on a shot from Annie Katonka with 5:06 left in the final period. They held on to that 3-2 lead margin for the rest of the game.
Plattsburgh State put 33 shots on goal Saturday. Elmira only managed 20.
The win clinches a third-place finish for the Cardinals in this year's Division III Women's Hockey Tournament.
Plattsburgh St. ties the game in the second period
Plattsburgh St. came into the second period trailing. But by the time it ended, the Cardinals had tied the game twice.
Nicole Unsworth put the puck in the net at the 15:26 mark to tie the game at 1-1. But less than five minutes later, ;Kelly Millins gave Elmira the lead again.
The period appeared to be closing with the Soaring Eagles holding a 2-1 lead, but Ivy Boric brought the score even with just 25 seconds remaining in the second.
Plattsburgh again outshot Elmira in the period, finishing with eight shots. Elmira put up six.
Elmira leads after first period
The first period has come to a close in the Division III third-place game and Elmira holds a slim lead over Plattsburgh State.
Claire Elfring found the back of the net at the 13:04 mark. The goal was unassisted.
Despite the slim lead, Elmira is being outshot. Plattsburgh state put a dozen shots on goal while Elmira only managed eight.
Championship Saturday
The final two games of the Division III women's hockey season take place Saturday.
Elmira and Plattsburgh State will meet in the third-place game at 3 p.m. ET, which will be followed by the championship game between Middlebury and Gustavus Adolphus at 7 p.m. ET.
In Friday's semifinals, Middlebury advanced to the title game by taking down Elmira, 3-2. Gustavus Adolphus knocked off Plattsburgh State, 5-1, on Friday to earn its place in the finals.
Both games will stream live on krikya18.com. Click or tap the links below to watch.
Middlebury edges out Elmira, 3-2, to advance to national championship
Middlebury took down Elmira, 3-2, in the second semifinal game. The win propels Middlebury into the national championship.
The goalscoring began in the second period when Cat Appleyard put Middlebury up, 1-0. Elmira responded with one from Eliza Beaudin to make it 1-1, and then Middlebury followed up with one from Kylie Quinlan to make it 2-1.
Middlebury got off to a strong start in the third period, getting a goal from Madie Leidt to make it 3-1.
Holley Riva added one later in the final frame to cut the Middlebury lead to 3-2.
Middlebury faces Gust. Adolphus on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET in the national championship game.
After 2: Middlebury 2, Elmira 1
After a scoreless first, Middlebury leads Elmira, 2-1, after 40 minutes.
Middlebury opened the scoring with a power play tally from Cat Appleyard. Elmira responded roughly a minute later with one of its own, getting one from Eliza Beaudin. Kylie Quinlan put Middlebury back on top, 2-1, just a few minutes later.
After 1: Elmira 0, Middlebury 0
Through the first period, Elmira and Middlebury remain tied, 0-0.
Middlebury leads in shots on goal, 9-7.
Gust. Adolphus wins, 5-1, to advance to national championship
Gustavus Adolphus advanced to the 2022 NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey championship after defeating Plattsburgh State 5-1 in the semifinals on Friday, thanks to a two-goal outburst in each of the first two periods. Five different Gustavus Adolphus players scored — Hailey Holland, Molly McHugh, Kristina Press, Hannah Gray and Brooke Power. Holland and Press each had two assists, too, while goaltender Katie McCoy registered 15 saves, while allowing just one goal.
Gustavus Adolphus will face the winner of Middlebury and Elmira.
Click or tap here to view the interactive tournament bracket.
Gustavus Adolphus triples lead to 4-1 in second period
Just like the first period of its DIII women's ice hockey semifinal matchup against Plattsburgh State, Gustavus Adolphus scored two goals in the second period — the latest off the sticks of left wing Kristina Press and reserve right wing Brooke Power — as Gustavus Adolphus tripled its lead from 2-1 after the first period to 4-1 through two periods.
Goaltender Katie McCoy has 10 saves already, allowing just one goal.
Gustavus Adolphus leads 2-1 after first period
Through the first period of the first DIII women's ice hockey semifinal, Gustavus Adolphus leads Plattsburgh State 2-1, thanks to two unanswered goals after Plattsburgh State's Mae Olshansky opened the scoring in the first 90 seconds.
Gustavus Adolphus tied the match 45 seconds later on Molly McHugh's answer and Hailey Holland put the team up at the 6:35 mark in the first period with a go-ahead goal.
DIII semifinals underway: Gustavus Adolphus vs. Plattsburgh State
The first of Friday's two Division III women's ice hockey semifinals is underway, as Gustavus Adolphus faces Plattsburgh State. Click or tap here to watch the llivestream and view live stats.
The winner will face the winner of Middlebury versus Elmira, which play in the other semifinal at 6 p.m. ET.
Click or tap here to view the full interactive championship bracket.