Ferocious Four: Cardinal/Panther Classic to get underway this weekend

Drew Wemple, The Press-Republican, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
·5 min read

Nov. 26—PLATTSBURGH — While it may be early, there is only one loss in total amongst the four teams competing in this weekend's Cardinal/Panther Classic women's ice hockey tournament presented by Busters Sports Bar and Grill, in Plattsburgh.

A season ago, it was the Middlebury College Panthers that came away from the tournament as champions, defeating Endicott in the title game, 2-1. It was Endicott, Middlebury, Elmira and Plattsburgh State that made up the field of four last year, however, in this tournament, things look a little different.

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls Falcons have taken the place of the Endicott College team from last season and they come in as the No. 6 ranked team in D-III. In fact, all four teams enter this tournament ranked inside the top-six, as Middlebury comes in at No.1, Plattsburgh State at No. 3 and Elmira at No. 4.

Rankings aren't the only things these teams have in common, as all feature some of the top goal-scoring units in the nation, and none of them seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

"It's going to be some of the best hockey played all year," Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications Brian Savard said.

The first puck drop is at 3 p.m. today in the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena, where Plattsburgh State will take on Wisconsin-River Falls. Following, at 6 p.m., Middlebury will take on Elmira in the first step to their attempt to repeat as tournament champions.

#6 Wisconsin-River Falls vs. #3 Plattsburgh State, 3 p.m.

Surprisingly enough, this isn't the first time these two squads have met; it's also not the first time they've met in this tournament. The Falcons and Cardinals last took the ice during the opening round of the 2019-20 tournament, in Middlebury, Vt. The Cardinals won that matchup, 3-1.

At that time, the Falcons were ranked No. 7 in the country and the Cardinals were undefeated; fast forward to today and this game is giving a similar feel. The Falcons enter this contest at 6-1 and the Cardinals again are undefeated through seven games (7-0).

Both teams are also coming off pretty significant wins as well. The Falcons, after opening their season with a crushing, 4-3, loss versus Augsburg, have now won six consecutive contests, including beating No. 8 ranked University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Their last win came on Tuesday against St. Olaf.

The Cardinals on the other hand, will be playing after a little more rest. The host team for the tournament last played on Saturday, Nov. 19, when they beat SUNY Morrisville, 6-1, at home.

Bailey Olson is the Falcons leader in points scoring with eight points on three goals and five assists, while teammate Maddie McCollins has scored a team-best five goals. MaKenna Aure is tops on the team in +/- rating at +7 and also has six points on four goals and two assists.

In goal for the visiting Falcons, Sami Miller has been their primary starter at the position, recording a 1.16 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage. UW-River Falls is led by 24th-year head coach Joe Cranston, who has pieced together a 437-153-45 overall record during his time behind the Falcon bench.

For the Cardinals, Sara Krauseneck is pacing the team in points with 16 (5 goals, 11 assists); Sierra Benjamin is tied with Krauseneck for the team lead in assists, 11. Ivy Boric is leading the way in goals, with nine while Mae Olshansky has netted eight goals, three of which have come on the power play.

Cardinals' goaltender Lilla Nease has fashioned a 1.65 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage. Twentieth-year head coach Kevin Houle owns a career record of 456-54-26 for an NCAA all-divisions-record .875 winning percentage.

Another important theme, not only to this game but rather the entire tournament, is the Cardinals play on their home ice. In five home contests this year, the Cardinals are 5-0, pummeling teams to the tune of a 26-6 scoring differential.

#1 Middlebury vs. #4 Elmira, 6 p.m.

In a rematch of last year's Cardinal/Panther Classic first round game, the Soaring Eagles are seeking revenge. After losing, 3-2, to the Panthers a season ago, the Soaring Eagles are coming into this matchup having not beaten this group in three straight meetings. However, one of the three contests ended in a tie and the other two were decided by just one goal each.

Elmira is entering this matchup undefeated, 7-0, and are riding an impressive six-game streak without allowing a goal. In fact, the last goal scored against the team came in the first period of their Oct. 28 win over Utica.

For the Panthers however, their season is still quite young. The team is just three games into their campaign, having beaten Trinity College twice and Castleton University most recently, on Tuesday, 3-1.

Middlebury enters this tournament, not only as the defending Cardinal/Panther classic defending champions, but as the defending NCAA Division-III champions. The group has also astoundingly won 29 consecutive games. Another positive for this squad is their coaching, as 34th-year head coach Bill Mandigo, who has more wins (625) than any women's ice hockey coach across all divisions.

The Soaring Eagles are led offensively by Claire Meeder and Morgan Mordini who each have 11 points on five goals and six assists, while Erika Goleniak has recorded 11 points on two goals and nine assists. Leonie-Louise Kuehberger has starred in net as well, with a .973 save percentage and a 0.33 goals-against average.

There is quite a difference at the coaching position however, as the Soaring Eagles are led by first-year head coach Jake Bobrowski, who previously served as an assistant at the University of Minnesota and Hamline University.