Where: Wessman Arena Superior, WI
When: 8:00 PM Saturday 3/16/13
Audio/Video: NCAA Video
Stats (National Rank) Team Leaders Offense: 3.28 G/GM (10) Hannah Bielawski (F, So.) (9-22-31)
Defense: 1.69 G/GM (9) Emily Fluke (F, So.) (17-12-29)
Power Play: 33/137 24.09% (6) Katie Sullivan (F, So.) (13-12-25)
Penalty Kill: 66/76 86.8% (11) Annabelle Jones (G, So.) 1.39 GAA
Offense: 4.21 G/GM(4) Ashley Ryan (F, So.) (17-14-31)
Defense: 1.14 G/GM (1) Tanis Lamoureux (F, Jr.) (13-14-27)
Power Play: 22/116 - 19.97% (16) Ashton Hogan (F, So.) (19-7-26)
Penalty Kill: 98/106 - 92.5% (2) Lauren Sullivan (G, Sr.) 1.24 GAA
The Lowdown: This one's for all the marbles
Both the Panthers and Soaring Eagles defeated previously unbeaten teams in the semi-finals to reach the D-III NCAA women's ice hockey final. For Middlebury, they took care of top ranked Plattsburgh, 4-1, in the first semi-final. After trailing 3-2 in the final three minutes against Gustavus Adolphus, Elmira scored a short handed goal then netted one in the final minute of OT to defeat the Golden Gusties 4-3.
Middlebury (NESCAC) and Elmira (ECAC-West) both received at-large bids into the women's tourney after losing their respective conference finals. In the Quarterfinal round, Middlebury came from behind to beat host Norwich,3-2, in OT to punch their ticket to the Frozen Four in Superior, WI. Elmira defeated NESCAC tournament champion Bowdoin, 4-0, in front of the Polar Bear faithful at the Sid to earn their trip out West.
The two teams are no stranger to one another, having played twice in the 2012-13 season. Middlebury swept the regular season series, beating Elmira, 4-3, in OT of the Cardinal/Pardinal Classic back in November, as well as at Elmira, 3-1, in February.
This is the first time Middlebury has made the finals since losing to Plattsburgh in the 2007 championship, a year after beating the same Cardinals in the 2006 finals. Elmira's last trip to the title game was 2009, when they lost to Amherst. The Panthers and Soaring Eagles met in the 2005 Finale, with Middlebury winning 4-3.
Players to watch
Annabelle Jones (G, So.) The sophomore from Homer, NY made 27 saves in the semis to hold the Cardinals to their lowest goal output (1) all season. Jones is 4th in the country in Goals Against Average (1.39) and 5th in Save Percentage (.943).
Lauren Sullivan (G, Sr.) The senior from Ontario made 38 saves in the semis to send her team to the finals. Sullivan ranks second in the country in GAA (1.24) and seventh in the country in Save Percentage (.938). Sullivan may be tired after facing 38 shots in a game that went to overtime less than 22 hours before the Finals will start.
In honor of these teams meeting in the end, and having beaten two undefeated teams in the semis to get here, we present Snow Patrol's "In The End" off of their sixth studio album Fallen Empires.
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