Women's Hockey | 3/6/2011 6:01:00 PM

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ROCHESTER, NY – The top seeded RIT women's hockey team (24-1-2) scored two power-play goals 3:58 apart late in the third period to erase a 1-0 deficit and defeat second seeded SUNY Plattsburgh (20-4-3) to claim its first ECAC West Championship, 2-1 at Ritter Arena on Sunday afternoon. The Tigers earn an automatic berth into the 2011 NCAA Tournament, their second trip to the national tournament in program history.

#Tenecia Hiller (Brampton, Ontario/Brampton Thunder)# tied the game at 1-1 with 6:24 left, then #Kourtney Kunichika (Fullerton, CA/LA Selects)# tallied the game winner with 2:26 remaining. #Ariane Yokoyama (Van Nuys, CA/LA Selects)# assisted on both goals. Hiller also added an assist.

Kunichika, who also scored the game-winner in Saturday's 2-0 win over Utica in the semifinal, was named the 2011 ECAC West Tournament Most Valuable Player. Yokoyama, #Traci Galbraith (Oakville, Ontario/Burlington Jr. Barracudas)#, and #Laura Chamberlain (Norco, CA/LA Selects)# were named to the All-Tournament Team, along with Teal Gove and Kristin Maton from Plattsburgh.

Chamberlain was excellent in net for the Tigers, stopping 22 shots. Plattsburgh goaltender Mandy Mackrell was also strong in goal, making 29 saves.

RIT was 2-for-7 on the power-play, scoring on both third period opportunities. Plattsburgh was 0-for-5. The Tigers out-shot Plattsburgh, 31-22, including 27-16 after the first period.

RIT Head Coach Scott McDonald thought both teams played tremendous and was happy his team fought back.

“This was exactly the type of game we expected, tight checking, low scoring, with two amazing goaltenders putting on a show,” said McDonald, who now has 105 wins in five seasons at RIT. “I thought it was just a matter of time before our power-play clicked. The special teams battle was the huge difference in the game. I was excited about how hard we worked all game, doing all of the little things needed to win the title.”

With the game scoreless after two periods, Plattsburgh got on the board first five minutes into the final frame, as a point shot from Kristin Maton caromed off a Tiger defenseman and in for her first collegiate goal. Brittany Meade came in on a 3-on-1 and fired a shot that was stopped by Chamberlain. Plattsburgh maintained possession, with Teal Gove finding Maton at the point. The hard shot by Maton found the back of the net.

That goal broke a 116 minute scoreless streak in games between the two teams.

Hiller was in the right spot at the right time to score her ninth goal of the season to tie the game at 1-1, as she was all alone in front to jam in a rebound after a shot by #Traci Galbraith (Oakville, Ontario/Burlington Jr. Barracudas)# was stopped by Mackrell.

RIT used great puck movement to score the game-winning goal, as Yokoyama fed Hiller at the right face-off circle. Hiller then fired a cross ice pass to Kunichika, who took one step in and fired a wrist shot past Mackrell to the far side for her 10th goal of the season.

Kunichika now has six goals in her last eight games, while Yokoyama leads the nation with 28 assists and has seven over her last five games.

Neither team scored in a defensively dominated first period in which the teams combined for just 11 shots.

Hiller had RIT's best chance of the period, ripping a rebound from the slot just over the net. Kunichika had a shot from the side of the net go right through the goal mouth.

RIT gained the territorial edge in the second period, but could not solve Mackrell. Her best save of the period came on Stack from point-blank range on a 5-on-3 power-play late in the period. On that same power-play, she robbed Yokoyama on a stuff-in attempt in close.

“We are looking forward to seeing who our next opponent is,” said McDonald. “We are excited to be in the NCAA Tournament and ready to keep playing.”

The Tigers have now allowed just 23 goals in 27 games. They have outscored foes 135-23 this season. RIT last hosted a conference tournament in 2007, its final year in the ECAC East conference. RIT also made the NCAA Tournament that season.

RIT is 1-0-2 against Plattsburgh this season, as the two teams skated to 2-2 and 0-0 ties at Ritter Arena on Jan. 21-22. Plattsburgh leads the all-time series, 8-3-2.

The Tigers will await their next opponent, when the 2011 NCAA Tournament field is selected on Monday at 10 a.m.  You can watch the selection show here.