Becky Cairns '11 scored two goals and added an assist to lead Hamilton College to a 5-1 win against SUNY Cortland in a non-conference women's ice hockey game at Hamilton's Russell Sage Rink on Feb. 1.
For Cairns, it was the first two-goal game and first three-point game of her college career. Stephanie Miguel '11 chipped in one goal and two assists, and Katie Zimmerman '13 added a goal and an assist for the winners. Zimmerman leads the team with eight goals.
Becca Hazlett '13 and Tori Bogen '14 combined to make 17 saves. Bogen relieved Hazlett at the start of the third period and turned away all nine shots she faced.
The Continentals (8-9-0 overall) have won all 12 meetings with Cortland, including 3-1 at Cortland on Jan. 5. The Red Dragons (2-15-2) lost their fifth straight game.
Cortland grabbed a 1-0 lead at 3:29 of the first period on the second goal this season by Kellie Micillo '13. Micillo was in the right place at the right time as Ashley Meyer '12 blasted a shot that Hazlett stopped, but the rebound popped over to Micillo, who put the puck into the open net. The Red Dragons held a 5-1 shot advantage in the early going, and led 1-0 after one period.
The last two periods were all Hamilton. Cairns tied the score just 16 seconds into the second period. Zimmerman skated around the back of the net and sent a pass from the right side of the goal to a wide-open Cairns at the left post.
Zimmerman gave the Continentals the lead for good with 8:17 left in the period. Abby Runyon '13 (two assists) dropped the puck to Zimmerman at the blue line and she skated into the zone down the right side. Zimmerman shifted the puck from her backhand to her forehand and then back again to get Cortland goalie Katie Double '12 down on the ice, and deposited the puck into the goal. Hamilton got its power play cranked up later in the second. Miguel scored her fifth goal on a wrist shot from the top of the right circle with 3:12 remaining.
The Continentals continued to apply pressure in the final period. Cairns scored her fourth goal this season and second of the night at 3:45 when she put in a rebound from the right post after Double blocked a shot by Miguel during a power play. Christie Sharlow '11 accounted for the final margin on her fourth goal with 7:21 left. Laura DiCarlo '12 sent a pass from the left-hand boards to Sharlow in the left circle, and Sharlow hammered a one-timer past Double.
Double finished with 41 saves for the Red Dragons. Hamilton was 2-for-5 on the power play, and killed all three of Cortland's chances. The Continentals held a commanding 46-18 shot advantage.
Hamilton travels to nationally ranked Middlebury College for a New England Small College Athletic Conference game on Friday, Feb. 4. It will be the Continentals' first road game since Jan. 8. The Red Dragons play an ECAC West contest at Chatham on Friday as well.
