The Quinnipiac University women’s ice hockey team opened their season at home with a 3-3 tie against the Mercyhurst Lakers Friday night. This was a night of firsts for the Bobcats: first game of the season, first game with new head coach Cassandra Turner, and first goal college goal for freshman Melissa Samoskevich.
The two teams played to a scoreless tie after one period, but it didn’t take long for the Bobcats to gain momentum. Just over two minutes into the second period, sophomore Taylar Cianfarano won a faceoff back to junior Emma Woods, who unloaded a slap shot past Mercyhurst freshman goaltender Sarah McDonnell to put the Bobcats up 1-0.
The Bobcats extended their lead a little more than six minutes later when Samoskevich took a pass from senior Kristen Tamberg and lit the lamp to give the Bobcats a 2-0 lead.
The end of the second period was all Lakers. It began when senior Mercyhurst captain Emily Janiga scored a highlight-reel goal with about four minutes left in the period. She dove for the puck after being stick checked by a Quinnipiac defender, and while sprawled on the ice Janiga managed to flick the puck over the shoulder of the Bobcats’ junior goaltender Sydney Rossman to cut Quinnipiac’s lead in half.
The Lakers tied the score when 30 seconds later, a Bobcats penalty put Mercyhurst on the power play and Janiga scored again—this time taking a feed from sophomore Sarah Robello and beating Rossman top shelf.
Quinnipiac regained the lead about 13 minutes left in the third period when Woods scored her second goal of the night, assisted by senior Lindsey West and Cianfarano assisted Emma Woods.
It appeared the Bobcats would skate away with a win, but with 24.6 seconds left, Mercyhurst freshman Sarah Hine knotted the score at 3, and the game went to overtime.
The overtime period was scoreless, although not without scoring opportunities. Both teams had chances to come away with a win, but the strong goaltending of Rossman and McDonell kept the game tied.
The next time the Bobcats take the ice will be at the University of Maine on Oct. 9.
