Burlington, Vt. – The Robert Morris University women's hockey team took No. 5 Clarkson to a shootout in their opening game of the Windjammer Classic in Burlington, Vt., where the nationally ranked Golden Knights prevailed to advance to the championship game.
 
Although the Golden Knights (12-3-2, 8-0-0 ECAC) earned the shootout victory, 2-1, the Colonials (9-1-5, 5-0-1 CHA) remain unbeaten through eight straight games, as the contest will go on record as a 3-3 overtime tie.
 
Sophomore defenseman Kirsten Welsh notched a career-high three points on a career-best two goals and one assist in the tied game. Redshirt junior forward Brittany Howard recorded a goal and an assist for her eighth multi-point effort of the season, and extended her current point streak to five games in the process. Freshman forward Jaycee Gebhard, sophomore defenseman Maggie LaGue, and junior defenseman Katherine Murphy each added an assist. Senior goaltender Jessica Dodds made 34 saves.
 
"We're really proud of the team," said head coach Paul Colontino on behalf of the entire coaching staff. "We played hard to every whistle and every buzzer. We continued to push and battled back from every deficit. We had our best period in the third and tied it back up, and it's great to compete like that against one of the top-ranked teams in the country."
 
RMU earned a timely power-play opportunity at 19:02 in the third, as the Colonials trailed the Golden Knights, 3-2. With 30 seconds remaining in the period, in a six-on-four situation, Welsh jammed one home for Robert Morris with the extra attacker on the ice to send the game into overtime. The five-minute overtime period went scoreless, as the teams skated to a 3-3 tie, but due to the tournament format, a winner had to be determined via five-round shootout.
 
Clarkson struck first in the third round of the shootout to go up, 1-0, but Howard quickly tied it up on the very next shot. It all came down to the fifth round, during which Clarkson's Savannah Harmon scored on Dodds to take a 2-1 lead and secure a spot in the championship game for the Golden Knights.
 
The Golden Knights looked as if they were going to head into the locker room for the second intermission with a two-goal lead after Clarkson scored twice in the second period, but Welsh blasted the puck from the point and Howard, right in front, helped it under the crossbar and into the net with 0.5 seconds remaining in the frame to make it a one-goal game.
 
Less than five minutes into the second period, Clarkson's Taylor Turnquist managed to break through traffic in front of Dodds and put the Golden Knights on top, 2-1.
 
Dodds made five outstanding saves and the Colonials blocked two shots to rob the Golden Knights of a special teams goal early in the first period. Five seconds after Clarkson's power play expired, the team cashed in on a broken play in front of the net and took a 1-0 lead at 6:27 in the opening frame. During the Colonials' first power play of the game, Welsh netted the equalizer on a blast from just above the blue line. Howard nearly put Robert Morris ahead on a shorthanded breakaway late in the first period, but was stopped right in front by Clarkson junior netminder Shea Tiley.
 
RMU was a perfect 11-for-11 on the penalty kill, and went two-for-six on the power play. Although Clarkson topped Robert Morris in shots on goal overall, 37-27, the Colonials dominated the third period, 17-5, and used that final surge to send the game into overtime.
 
Robert Morris will take on St. Cloud State in the consolation game of the Windjammer Classic on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 4 p.m. in Gutterson Fieldhouse.
 
 
Trending
Sophomore defenseman Kirsten Welsh has recorded a point in nine of the last 12 games. Redshirt junior Brittany Howard has posted a point in 13 of 15 games on the young season, including the Colonials' last five. Freshman Jaycee Gebhard has posted a point for RMU in all but four outings.
 
Milestone Watch
Head coach Paul Colontino is five wins away from his 100^th career victory as head coach of the Robert Morris University women's hockey team.
 
Milestone Achieved
Senior goaltender Jessica Dodds competed in her 100^th career game with tonight's start against the Golden Knights.
 
 
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