The Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey team defeated the RPI Engineers 4-2 in a Saturday matinee matchup. The Bobcat’s victory did not come without its fair share of penalties on both sides.
The Bobcats finished the game going 1-6 on seven power plays while the Engineers went 1-4 on five power plays.
“I think we would’ve liked to have fished that game stronger than we did, and taken a few less penalties, but at the same time we really battled back and found ways to score and found ways to win which is really important in this league,” shared head coach Cass Turner.
The Bobcats understood how important it is to have a team mentality in every aspect of the game including discipline and staying out of the penalty box.
“I think just knowing that it’s not just one person’s fault, there’s a lot of other plays leading into that specific play,” added senior forward Nina Steigauf. “I remember in Clarkson I took two penalties, you can’t really focus on one play and you have to have a short memory.”
Among those in the box tonight was sophomore defender Tiana McIntyre, serving six of the Bobcats’ 12 penalty minutes of the game.
“She [Tiana] continues to improve, and [to] look at her growth just from last year it’s amazing,” added Turner supporting McIntyre’s long-term performance. “She continues to see the ice and show her strength and I’m sure she’ll continue to do that.
Those on the positive side of the scoresheet for the Bobcats included senior forward Steigauf, who had two assists, including a well-timed pass behind the net to senior defender Maddy Samoskevich for her first goal this season.
“I think I wouldn’t have scored that goal without Nina’s beautiful pass from behind the net,” said Samoskevich. “We made eye contact behind the net and I was like ‘I will be shocked if she gets this to me’ and somehow she did.”
Samoskevich’s first goal came after putting in a ton of work in practice and seeing it pay off was equally rewarding for her and her Turner.
“Our defense… we love to have them involved and we expect them to be involved, we expect to see them on the scoresheet,” Turner said. “She [Samoskevich] is working every day with Brent [Hill] in skills from the point as are a number of our defenders, and it shows they’re confident up there, they know how to read pressure, and they’re confident in their release.”
The Bobcats finish their weekend against the upstate New York teams with two wins and now look toward a final game at Princeton before a long break until the end of December, after which they resume play against the LIU Sharks.
Coach Turner and her team will look to continue to build upon their momentum as they sit seventh in the current USCHO poll and fourth in the current ECAC standings.
Only 11 points separate the Bobcats and future opponents Minnesota Duluth in the poll and time will tell what they can do by the end of the season especially when facing teams of the Bulldogs’ caliber.
