Kelly Collins scored her second goal of the game on a power play 2:18 into overtime to give the Oswego State women's ice hockey a critical 3-2 overtime victory over visiting Utica on Saturday night. The Pioneers forced the game into overtime with just 17.3 seconds remaining on the clock after Lynny Gonzalez netted her second goal of the contest. The Lakers, who improved to 7-11-1 overall and 5-7-1 in the ever-tightening ECAC West standings, will face Utica, which is 9-11-2 overall and 5-7-2 in the league, on Sunday at 3 p.m.
Both teams were able to put pressure on the opposing squads' defense, but it was the Lakers who drew first blood at 12:59 in the first period. Jenna Kirkwood (Sr., Chilliwack, B.C.) played the puck from behind the net to Jillian Bergeron (So., Brockville, Ont.), who was sitting in the slot for her sixth goal of the season. It was the only goal of the frame as Oswego State skated into the locker room with a 1-0 lead.
Utica tied the game when it took advantage of a Laker tripping penalty midway through the second period when Lynny Gonzales' (Jr., Rochester, N.Y.) one-timer between the circles got past Oswego State goaltender Emi Williams (Jr., Anchorage, Alaska). MacKenzie Roy (So., Concord, N.H.) fed Gonzales the pass from the lower right circle. However, the tie did not last long as the Lakers' Kelly Collins (So., Fairport, N.Y.) ripped a wrist shot that went top shelf from a tight angle along the end line on the right side at the 12:50 mark.
In the third period, Williams made several key saves early in the stanza to preserve the tenuous one-goal lead as the Pioneers came out of the locker room with increased intensity. Utica knocked on the doorstep with 5:53 to play, but Williams made a sprawling save on her back to keep the puck from crossing the goal line. She came big again with under three minutes left in regulation as she stonewalled Gonzales, who got around an Oswego State defender.
The Pioneers pulled goalie Jill Doherty (Sr., Wellesley, Mass.) for the extra attacker with 1:52 remaining on the clock. The strategy worked as Utica tied the game with 17.3 ticks left on the clock when Williams stopped Rebecca Heim's (Jr., Westwood, N.J.) slap shot from the right point. However, the rebound went directly on the stick of Gonzales, who found the back of the net. Jodie Galuzzi (Jr., Buffalo, N.Y.) was also credited with an assist on the play.
In overtime, the Lakers went on the power play after a Utica body-checking penalty. With the skater advantage, Collins netted the game-winning goal on a rebound at 2:18 after Angie Friesen (Sr., Chilliwack, B.C.) put a shot on the net.
Emi Williams finished the contest with 26 saves, including 11 in the third period, to improve to 7-8-1. The Pioneers' Jill Doherty compiled 27 saves on 30 shots.
