Missed Call In Overtime Boosts Sirens To Shutout Win

NEWARK, NJ -- When Jessie Eldridge's quick-strike overtime goal ended Sunday's battle against the Toronto Sceptres, there was as much a collective sigh of relief as a celebratory mood among the New York Sirens following their 1-0 victory at the Prudential Center.

Outplayed over much of the last two periods and outshot 24-8 by a Toronto squad that applied constant pressure in all three zones, the Sirens nonetheless secured the two points when Eldridge raced deep into the offensive end and -- in one motion and from a sharp angle -- beat Sceptres goalie Kristen Campbell up top and inside the near post.

The decisive score came after Sarah Fillier sent the puck gliding down toward Campbell's right as Eldridge made an all-out sprint to take control of the puck below the circle and rocket the shot past Campbell, who had made all 18 saves for Toronto in regulation. The goal also involved a controversial missed offside call.

The helper was Fillier's sixth this season, and Jaime Bourbonnais also had an assist on the winning effort in front of the largest crowd of the season -- 3,258 -- at The Rock.

"(Sarah Fillier) just made a really heads-up play and I was just able to get a good shot on net," Eldridge said. "It's just a really good feeling."

New York netminder Corinne Schroeder, meanwhile, was lights out the entire game with 27 saves over three periods while also turning aside a couple of super attempts by Toronto in the early going of the overtime session.

Schroeder clearly kept the Sirens in the game, and that allowed the squad to come through with the game's only goal in OT.

"(Schroeder's) been demonstrating the level of her play since day one," New York Head Coach Greg Fargo said after the game. "There's a calmness and a competitiveness to her game that we really like."

Despite outshooting Toronto 10-3 in the first period, the Sirens seemed to have their hands full against a tenacious Sceptres squad that was continually relentless on the forecheck and persistent in their ability to pounce on loose pucks.

"You know there's going to be ebbs and flows to any game at this level, and Toronto was able to spend a good amount of time in our end," Farco said. "I'm really proud of the group in their being able to hang with it and come up with the key plays (in OT)."

The Sirens appeared to have scored a goal with significant traffic around the crease in the third period. However, it was disallowed following a video review.

The Sceptres managed only three shots -- and didn't challenge Schroeder for over 12 minutes -- during a scoreless first period as the Sirens effectively shut down the lanes and kept the visitors on the perimeter.

Meanwhile, Campbell was solid in turning back 10 New York scoring attempts. She especially stood tall during two power-play chances by the Sirens, who are 0-11 on the player advantage over the past three games at The Rock.

That initial period featured back-and-forth action play with each team countered the other in transitioning back to an offensive mindset after respective rushes and no clear winner through the neutral zone.

The second period undeniably belonged to the Sceptres, who not only outshot New York 17-3 but also put Schroeder to the ultimate test in the closing minute of the middle frame with four high-quality opportunities including a short breakaway by Emma Woods and Julia Gosling's pinpoint follow-up shot.

New York continually struggled with puck possession and didn't manage a shot on net in the period until the 10:03 mark when Gabby Rosenthal forced Campbell to make a stick save. It was the first shot for the Sirens since Micah Zandee-Hart's attempt with just over five minutes left in the first period.

Toronto spent a large chunk of that second period in their 'O' zone thanks to persistent forechecking and keeping the hosts one step behind in terms of taking back the flow of play that they seemed on top of over the first 20 minutes.

The win marked the second time New York has prevailed over Toronto on its home ice in New Jersey. In their season opener on Dec. 18, the Sirens skated to a 4-2 triumph in regulation.

OF NOTE

New York continued to draw blanks on power plays at home. The Sirens were 0-8 in their back-to-back encounters with Ottawa, and 0-3 versus Toronto on Sunday...Rebecca Morse, director of the Princeton Tiger Lilies youth program and a member of the 2018 Isobel Cup-winning Metropolitan Riveters of the Premier Hockey Federation, was honored as Sunday's Community Hockey Hero. Born and raised in Westfield, NJ, Morse is an advocate for fostering young talent and advancing the sport at the grassroots level while promoting skill growth and inclusivity.