POTSDAM, N.Y.—Williams Smith College (6-11-5, 3-8-4 ECAC West) stayed in the playoff hunt and kept the SUNY Potsdam women's hockey team (11-9-1, 7-6-1) from clinching a playoff berth with a 2-0 win on Saturday afternoon. Sophomore forward Tess Madarasz (Mendham, N.J./Lawrenceville) had a goal and an assist to lead the Herons and junior goalie Maggie Salmon (Medford, Mass./The Governor's Academy) made 29 saves to earn the shutout.
 
Potsdam was able to pressure William Smith early, putting several quality chances on Salmon. However, the junior was always in position to keep the Bears off the board. William Smith went on the power play at the 13:06 mark, but Potsdam's defense didn't allow a shot and kept the puck in the Herons' zone for most of the two minutes. William Smith's best chances of the period came about midway through. After a Bears' turnover, Pfeiffer stonewalled Herons senior captain Krista Federow (Niagara Falls, Ontario/Kent School) on two consecutive point blank chances. Salmon stopped five solid Potsdam chances in the final six minutes of the period and the teams entered the first intermission scoreless.
 
The shots were even in the second period, as were the chances. The Bears seemed to take the lead at the 11:49 mark as freshman forward Lucy Condon (Kitchener, Ontario/Waterloo Ravens) beat Salmon on a shot from the left point. The team celebrated and the goal was reported to the scorer's box. The officials then huddled and waved it off. The explanation received was that one official was calling icing and another was calling delayed offsides. Neither blew the whistle and played continued until the goal. William Smith made the most of the reprieve . At 16:08, Madarasz cut toward the net from the left corner and fired a shot off Pfeiffer's right shoulder and into the net to make it 1-0. The score was unchanged at the end of the second period.  
 
Potsdam had two power plays in the third period, but was unable to convert. They outshot the Herons 10-4 in the third. At 3:57, Madarasz broke up a Bears clearing attempt and fed sophomore defenseman Egan Sachs-Hecht (Plainview, N.Y./Lawrenceville) at the point. Sachs-Hect skated in and fired a low shot just inside the right post to make it 2-0. Pfeiffer was pulled for an extra attacker with 1:05 left and Potsdam called timeout with 39 seconds remaining. William Smith withstood the final charge.
 
Pfeiffer finished with 18 saves. The Herons were 0-for-1 on the power play and the Bears went 0-for-3.
 
Prior to the game, Potsdam honored seniors Jordan Ott (Hilton, N.Y./Rochester Edge), Kaylen Van Wagner (Red Hook, N.Y./Hotchkiss Prep), Madison Smith (Edmonton, Alberta/The College of St. Scholastica), Kady Hart (Potsdam, N.Y./North Country Ice Storm) and Amanda Peterson (West Chazy, N.Y./Chazy Flyers).
 
The two teams battle again tomorrow at 2 p.m. with the same postseason hopes on the line.
 

Potsdam Bears Women's Hockey Class of 2017