Special teams led the No. 4 Quinnipiac Bobcats women’s ice hockey past Robert Morris Colonials on the first of their two games this weekend with a 3-2 win on Friday night. The Bobcats finished the game scoring two power play goals on three attempts, which boosts their season power play percentage to 23%.
“We had some personnel changes to try and get some different looks,” Quinnipiac head coach Cassandra Turner said about the power play, “I thought we were really aware today.”
Taylor Cianfarano scored her 13th multiple point game of the season, which is tied for second in the country.
Quinnipiac (17-1-4) took a 1-0 lead when Cianfarano stole the puck off the half wall in the offensive zone and passed the puck to Nicole Kosta who wide dribbled and slid it past the Robert Morris (12-6-4) goalie Jessica Dodds’s five-hole.
“I knew right away she was on the back door,” Cianfarano said, “Our chemistry as a line was just there tonight.”
This goal was Kosta’s ninth goal of the season, which places her third on the team behind her line mates Cianfarano and Samoskevich.
“She’s a very skilled player, she knows where to be, and she gives me pointers,” Cianfarano said about Kosta, “I enjoy playing with her.”
In the second period the Bobcats found themselves on an early power play due to a crosscheck from RMU defenseman Maggie Lague.
On that power play Samoskevich passed down low to Cianfarano who split the Robert Morris box and finds Lindsey West who ripped a backhand past Dodds for her fourth goal of the season. Bobcats lead 2-0.
Bobcats once again capitalized on the power play when a bouncing puck found Meghan Turner in front of the net, and she slapped it in for her sixth goal of the season.
“I think our special teams was a positive tonight,” Cianfarano said. “Obviously having two power play goals and moving the puck around.”
Robert Morris fought back in the third period as Natalie Fraser scored on a rebound following a Brittany Howard shot.
LaGue had the puck at the blue line and put a shot on net after multiple deflections the puck found junior Rikki Meilleur’s stick and she finished on a diving shot for her fourth goal of the season.
Turner was pleased with the special teams today, and believed it was a big difference maker.
“We were happy with what we did our special teams,” Turner said. “We were 100% on our penalty kill.”
The Bobcats and Colonials will play the second of their two night double header on Saturday at two o’clock.
