Quinnipiac and Clarkson pushed each other to the edge for more than sixty minutes Saturday night, a rivalry game that turned into a stubborn goalie duel and a reminder of how thin the margin is between two ECAC teams.
“We are both great hockey teams, and this is what the ECAC brings for us,” said head coach Cass Turner. “You know, I think it pushes you to a place where you really get better every single game.”
The Bobcats wanted payback for last season’s playoff exit. They got a tie on the record sheet and a shootout loss, but the effort showed a team that refused to fold in a grind of a matchup.
Quinnipiac entered the night coming off an overtime win Friday against St. Lawrence, but the opening period was anything but smooth. Clarkson controlled early puck movement, and Quinnipiac gave away several loose passes that stalled any rhythm.
Clarkson freshman forward Sara Manness produced two early chances, but sophomore goalie Felicia Frank, who earned her 12th win the night before, held firm.
“I think she just continues to grow and get better,” Turner said. “We knew she was this solid when she came in, but it is just nice to see her being able to execute that in games.”
Frank was the Bobcats’ most reliable presence as graduate goalie Holly Gruber and the Clarkson defense clogged lanes, erased wide passes that kept Quinnipiac from settling into its zone exits.
Junior forward Kahlen Lamarche, the top scorer in the NCAA, missed two high-quality looks. Gruber denied junior forward Laurence Frenette on another clean setup before a timeout that paused the pace. Fans who served in the armed forces were honored during the break.
Out of the break, Lamarche fired wide again, which was followed by matching penalties on senior forward Emerson Jarvis and Clarkson sophomore forward Greta Brezenski, adding more tension. The period ended with Quinnipiac empty on the scoreboard despite several pushes.
Clarkson opened the second period attacking with speed, but Frank erased every chance again. The Golden Knights took their second penalty of the night on a tripping call against freshman defenseman Kaitlyn Mallette, giving Quinnipiac its clearest window to score. Gruber denied back-to-back shots near the end of the advantage, and both goalies continued to shut down every rush that followed.
Quinnipiac built late momentum when Clarkson senior forward Sena Caterball was called for hooking. The Bobcats slowed the puck in search of a lane, including a creative sequence where sophomore forward Bryn Prier spun and fed sophomore defenseman Miakayla Watson. The attempt did not break through, and the period closed scoreless with another missed power play.
“I think we can be a little more detailed at the net.” Turner said, “We had some chances where it maybe bounced past us.”
The Bobcats opened the third period with urgency. Jarvis ripped a shot from the left side, and freshman forward Ella Johnson created back-to-back chances. Gruber answered everyone.
Quinnipiac generated its best stretch of sustained pressure all night, but timing issues and stray passes sent rebounds right back to Clarkson sticks. After Lamarche absorbed a heavy check from senior defenseman Megan McKay, the Bobcats earned another advantage, but an offside whistle and Clarkson pressure spoiled it again.
Quinnipiac took two penalties in the final four minutes for holding and interference. Clarkson, 11 for 43 on power plays this season, came close to ending it in regulation with several dangerous looks, but Frank shut the door and sent the game to overtime.
The Bobcats killed off the remaining power play to start the extra frame and nearly ended the game on shots by senior forward Tessa Holt and Lamarche. However, neither team was able to break the stalemate between Gruber and Frank, who continued it to the very end, with Gruber finishing with 36 saves and Frank closing with 32.
The game will stand as a tie, but the final word came in the shootout. Clarkson junior forward Janelle Evans fired a clean, well-set-up shot past Frank to secure the extra half-point for the Golden Knights.
Quinnipiac looks to reset during its upcoming bye, returning on Nov. 20 to face Princeton University. Puck drop is set for 6 p.m.
