It is often said in sports that “you play to win the game.” And while Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey head coach Cassandra Turner would have loved to pick up a victory against one of the finest women’s teams in Canada, the Concordia University Stingers, she was encouraged with her team’s performance in their exhibition opener, which ended in a hard-fought 3-3 tie.
“Great to get on the ice and start this year. I thought today was a lot of fun,” Turner said. “We have a new feel and a little bit of a different team speed. A lot of really good things today.”
It was a slow start for the Bobcats, who committed three obstruction minors in the first period alone. And on Quinnipiac’s lone first period power play, it was the Stingers who were buzzing, with Claudia Dubois scoring a short-handed breakaway goal. Quinnipiac was down 2-0 after the first frame.
“[Concordia is] a group that was a little more confident in the first period, but I like how we responded in the second,” Turner said.
Quinnipiac scored three straight power play goals in the second and third periods, all of which came from right in front of the crease. Scoring greasy goals is part of this team’s strategy, which pleased Turner.
“We talk about being a hard team to play against, and that’s one of those things: get in front of the goalie, take away her eyes, and be gritty.”
The offensive stars of the game for the Bobcats were all three members of the first line. Centered by T.T. Cianfarano and flanked by Melissa Samoskevich and Sarah-Eve Coutu-Godbout, Quinnipiac’s top unit drove possession when on the ice, scoring all three goals and a combined six points.
For Coutu-Godbout, a fresh start to the new year and a clean bill of health made all the difference for her in this game. She missed time with an injury last year and didn’t have the season she had hoped for. All signs are pointing up for her this year though, as evidenced by her two goals today.
“It’s very exciting. Last year it was a weird start, but now I’m healthy and ready to go,” Coutu-Godbout said.
Coach Turner also had high praise for the loaded top line, saying that the unit has the potential to do great things. The trio also sticks together on the power play, where the Bobcats scored all three of their goals. Coach Turner deployed her players in familiar spots on the power play, which certainly helped out with their confidence. Coming off of a year in which the Bobcats had the third-ranked power play in the ECAC, going 3-for-7 in the first exhibition game is a good sign moving forward.
“We are excited about where we are and ready to get back at it and beat Maine on Friday,” Turner said.
Quinnipiac officially opens their season this coming Friday with a two-game stand in Maine against the Black Bears. The Bobcats will then play a home-and-home series the next weekend against Providence, with the first home game of the season at the Quinnipiac Sports Center on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 4 p.m.
