The Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey team opened its season at M&T Bank Arena against Maine on Friday night, beginning the year with a 3-2 win, with seven different Bobcats recording points.
Quinnipiac began the game firing, capitalizing on each of its first two shots on goal. First, it was sophomore Bryn Prier’s turn just under two minutes in, tipping in a brilliant feed from freshman Jade Barbirati. Freshman Sophie Rousseau also recorded an assist on the play, feeding Barbirati, who dished a centering pass for Prier to finish the job.
The first-period scoring didn’t stop there, as sophomore Ella Sennick scored about seven minutes later with a goal pried away from a flurry of sticks in the crease. This came after a shot from Ella Johnson, who recorded an assist on the play, was denied by Maine goaltender Kiia Lahtinen.
Johnson came into the game with a little added motivation, as sister Sophia Johnson was on the other side with Maine. Ella got the better of her older sister tonight and commented on the matchup postgame. “I’ve been looking forward to these games the whole week. Basically, for like the past three months,” Johnson said. “Growing up, I played with my sister all the time, and finally being her opponent at such a high level is just so fun.”
Quinnipiac killed a 5-on-3 disadvantage encompassing the final 1:37 of the first period. Sophomore Makayla Watson and senior Zoe Uens were sent off on tripping calls, with Watson’s coming 23 seconds earlier. Quinnipiac sophomore goaltender Felicia Frank looked stellar in the early going, sprawling out in the crease to deny Maine’s best offensive chance just over 11 minutes in.
The Black Bears came out firing to begin the second period. Maine junior Haley Ryan scored on a great deflection about three minutes into the frame, redirecting a shot between the pads of Frank. Junior Lila Shea and sophomore Kendall Sundby recorded assists. It was Maine’s first goal against the Bobcats in their last nine periods dating back to the first period of a 5-1 Quinnipiac win on Sept. 30, 2023.
Maine wasn’t done scoring in the second, as sophomore Gracie Hanson went bar down using assists from junior Reagan Wurm and Sundby, her second of the night, to tie the game just past the 13-minute mark. In net, Lahtinen turned away a clowder of Bobcats in front of the net, stretching across the crease to make multiple saves in a split-second span.
Lahtinen couldn’t hold off the Bobcat offense for long, though, as junior Alex Law capitalized on her third shot. Law’s wrister found the far post and fell in just before time expired on a power play stemming from a minor penalty called on Maine’s Mackenzie Podewell. Watson recorded her first point of the night, with Barbirati adding a second in her first NCAA game.
Head coach Cassandra Turner had high praise for the rising star Barbirati. “Jade may be one of the smartest offensive players who has come in as a freshman. She has such an understanding for where people are on the ice, and time and space,” Turner said. “That assist she had with Bryn Prier today, the patience. You knew she was just going to wait. She’s that kind of player who can make plays like that happen.”
The third period was shrouded in penalties against the Black Bears, with Lulu Rucinski and Ava Stevenson picking up calls in the first few minutes. The most severe came a few minutes later, when Hanson was ejected for illegal contact to the head. Frederikke Foss served the consequent 5-minute major penalty.
Frank made sure to quell any Maine offensive pushes in the third period, including a sliding save just before the midway point to keep the Bobcats in front by one. The win extends Quinnipiac’s unbeaten streak against Maine to 11 straight games, with a record of 10-0-1 in that span. The Bobcats and Black Bears will be back in action on York Hill Saturday at 3 p.m.
