2017-2018 Memorable Moment #1: Mercyhurst wins the CHA Tournament, vs Robert Morris University in the final played on March 3rd
The most memorable moment of the year for me as a fan had to be watching Mercyhurst win the CHA Tournament versus Robert Morris. I streamed the game online, connected my computer to the TV and watched "on TV." It was of course, a great while ago, played on March 3rd, but fun to look back on nonetheless.
This marked the second year that CHA hosted their tournament at the Harbor Center in Buffalo. Previously, the tournament was hosted by the winner of the regular season, and in the early years of the league, the hosting role rotated on a set schedule amongst the teams. In my day, the league was so small, we got to host the tourney in my freshman and senior years.
For logistical reasons alone, I'm fine with the Harbor Center as host. I can't imagine the last minute planning required to host at the regular season champ, and some of the rinks in the league are kind of underwhelming. Why not play in the newer, nicer Harbor Center to end the season? Add in the fact that it's nearby three of the six schools in the league (RIT, Syracuse, Mercyhurst), in a league with rosters full of Ontario and Western New York players, and I think it's even better. Harbor Center is home to the Buffalo Beauts of the NWHL, so playing there is a taste of what is to come, for the handful of CHA players that will end up in the NWHL.
So as a live site, I think the Harbor Center is great. I would like to see the CHA up the production value of their stream for the tournament as well as make it free to get more eyes on the league, but even having a stream is a huge step forward from where we once were. The best part of production this year was the guy calling the action. I believe it was Ryan Burgess, he gave a passionate call and did a pretty good job, in my opinion. Melissa Burgess of Victory Press attended as well, live tweeting the game (and writing about it), which was a nice touch.
The 2017-2018 CHA Conference Tournament final was between Mercyhurst and Robert Morris. The teams had split both series with each other during the year, but RMU won the regular season by two points. In the CHA Tournament Mercyhurst beat Syracuse 2-1 in OT, to advance to the final, while RMU destroyed Penn State 7-2. I've heard other women's hockey fans refer to Mercyhurst as an underdog in the final. I think saying RMU was slightly favored might be defensible, but really, going into the final game you had to think it could easily go either way.
At the time, thinking of things that gave Mercyhurst an edge, I was focused on how Mercyhurst did a good job keeping Brittany Howard in check this season. Going into the CHA final, Howard averaged 1.5 points per game on the season, but a point a game against Mercyhurst. I should have also considered Emma Nuutinen coming back from the Olympics would be playing at a higher gear. The CHA Tournament marked Nuutinen's return to NCAA play. She scored the OT winner vs Syracuse in the semi, and had a two goal, one assist game vs RMU in the final. In hindsight, Nuutinen should have been a very obvious x-factor to consider when looking at two otherwise closely matched teams.
Here's video footage of the goals in the game, truly a bunch of beautiful goals in a game that was won 5-3 by Mercyhurst:
RMU takes the lead at 6:43 of the first, on a power play goal. The play starts in the corner in the Mercyhurst end. Jaycee Gebhard quickly makes a long pass to Maggie Lague on the point. Lague drags the puck to the center of the ice, then dishes to Emily Curlett, who fires it into the back of the net from the top of the circle.
The Lakers tie it with a power play goal by Nuutinen at 13:04 of the first period. Marmen carries the puck into the zone on a 3 on 2, selling a pass to Vasko who is driving the net. Instead of that pass though, Marmen drops the puck to Nuutinen, who also scores from the top of the circle.
The tie lasts only a minute though, when who else but Brittany Howard gives RMU a 2-1 lead. Howard finds herself alone with the puck between the bottom of the circle and the goal line, and puts in a wrister from a very difficult angle. It would prove to be the prolific goal scorer's final collegiate goal, and in true Howard fashion, it was a beauty. Also, in true Howard, fashion, the violent celebration after, as she crashes into her teammate in celebration! Kids these days. I will miss Howard, but I won't miss Mercyhurst having to defend her. I hope she signs in the NWHL.
The period ends 2-1, with RMU carrying momentum into the break.
I don't know what happened between periods, if anything, but the Lakers came out flying and the Colonials came out not necessarily flat, but making turnovers that cost them. Eventually Mercyhurst ran away with the momentum of the game:
Early in the second period, Alexa Vasko ended up with the puck after an RMU turnover in the neutral zone. She led a two on one (maybe even a three on one) into the RMU zone. The defender took away the pass, forcing Vasko to shoot. From just above the left face off dot Vasko, snapped a puck that appeared to go in on the right side of goaltender Elijah Milne Price. Tie game, on an incredibly timely first collegiate goal for Vasko. Watch the video. The intern has the music cued up perfectly, and you will smile watching the goal and celebration.
The Colonials needed to respond, and instead had a costly turnover four and a half minutes later. In the RUM zone, already in a cluster of people, a Colonial defender attempted a short pass from the top of the circle to another Colonial mid ice on the blue line. Tanskanen intercepted the pass, settled the puck on the half wall, and fed the puck to Rachel Marmen, now set up on the point. Marmen settled the puck, then snapped it on net without a single puck handle. The quick release plus traffic in front of goaltender Milne-Price, resulted in a goal and the Lakers first lead of the game.
So it was now 3-2, thanks to goals from Nuutinen, Vasko (her first), and Marmen (her second of the year). I wasn't expecting Mercyhurst to put up another one as that's just not how RMU vs Mercyhurst games go. However, as Nuutinen went one on one with a Colonial defender late in the second period, I thought to myself, I've seen this before and know how this ends. Nuutinen puck the puck through the defenders legs, a couple more stick handles to deke the goalie, and backhand puck is in the back of the net. Party on the half wall. 4-2 Lakers, and that'll do it for the second period.
The third period was without drama, rare for an RMU Mercyhurst game and a testament to how much this Mercyhurst team improved from the beginning of the year until now. That first game back in December played between these squads was a nail biter that required a third period breakaway stop by Kennedy Blair on Brittany Howard, among other things, to preserve the win. This third period was at times boring, for the way Mercyhurst pulled away however I am not complaining.
At 11:18 of the third, senior Jennifer MacAskill scored and Mercyhurst was up 5-2 (not featured in the highlights). Things got a bit chippy as RMU saw their season coming to an end. They regained their composure a bit and got the score to within two, on a goal by Gazzola, but it wouldn't be enough.
The Lakers became CHA Tournament Champions and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, concluding the 16th season of College Hockey America. RMU, defeated in the conference tournament, takes solace in their second consecutive regular season conference championship.
***
Since so much of what I write is merely me looking for context, I decided to look up the regular season and conference champions, for each of the four leagues for the past four years. The results show that each of the leagues are typically dominated by two teams, with the occasional presence of a third:
No comments:
Post a Comment