The No. 10 Quinnipiac Bobcats women’s ice hockey team defeated the Maine Black Bears 4-3 in overtime thanks to first-year center Jade Barbirati’s multi-goal performance. 

“I thought that [Barbirati] was outstanding today,” said Quinnipiac head coach Cass Turner. “She is very competitive, whenever we were in a moment that we were down I could tell that she wanted to find a way to make a play for us to score.”

This was the fourth meeting in the past two seasons between the two teams, with the Bobcats victorious in the previous three. 

Nearly three minutes into the game, the Black Bears struck first as freshman forward Mackenzie Podewell scored her first collegiate goal off of a Bobcats turnover in their defensive zone. 

The Quinnipiac offense fought back as freshman center Jade Barbirati snuck in her first collegiate goal to tie the game at one. However, this wouldn’t be the end of an offensive-filled period.

With just over a minute left to play in the opening period, junior winger Mikayla Broader zipped a shot high glove past Bobcats goalie Calli Hogarth to put Maine back up 2-1.  

Sophomore Felicia Frank started the second period in goal for Quinnipiac. Having started the season opener on Friday, it was a risky decision to get the goalie back within the crease; however, it proved to be pivotal for Bobcats. 

“Sometimes when you’re in a game, you need a bump,” said Turner. “We felt like Felicia was going to give us that bump.”

A stagnant start to the period changed six minutes in as defenseman Mikayla Watson tied the game while simultaneously falling to the ice. 

“As I was entering the zone I saw we had numbers,” said Watson. “I tried to just get to the net and throw it in while using the momentum to get there.”

The Black Bears regained the lead halfway through the period after defenseman Brenna Curl netted her first collegiate goal to make it 3-2. Quinnipiac outshot Maine 26-15 after 40 minutes, however, still trailing heading into the final period.

Eight minutes into the third period, senior center Tessa Holk redirected a shot that trickled past Kiia Lahtinen to knot up the game at three a piece. Each team tightened up on defense and 60 minutes wasn’t enough to determine a winner. 

With numerous chances from each offense, Barbirati struck again with just over two minutes to play in overtime to give Quinnipiac the victory. 

“It was unbelievable,” said Barbirati following the win. “It wasn’t something I could do on my own, we [won] as a team.”

Two points yesterday and two points today makes it back-to-back multi-point performances in Barbirati’s first two career college-level games.

Quinnipiac faces their first road test of the 2025-26 campaign as they head to Providence next Friday.