The Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey team looked to go 2-0 on a home weekend as they took on the Cornell Big Red. It was a matchup between the USCHO #5 Bobcats and #12 Big Red, with both teams sitting within the top five of the ECAC standings.
The first quality chance for the Bobcats came just over five minutes in when Kahlen Lamarche got a nice feed but sent a one-timer over the net. Zoe Uens had another chance on a slap shot from the blue line but it was knocked aside by Annelies Bergmann.
The shots came with a premium through the first 10 minutes as Cornell also only had two shots on goal saved by Quinnipiac goaltender Felicia Frank.
At the 7:50 mark, Quinnipiac’s Ella Sennick wound up on a slap shot that was saved by the reaching glove of Bergmann to keep the game scoreless.
With around four minutes left in the period, Lamarche took a tumble and skated off the ice. Despite not having their leading goalscorer on the ice, the Bobcats would respond by putting two goals in the back of the net. The first was a tip-in by Bryn Prier, her fifth of the season, followed by a close-range wrister by Laurence Frenette over the pad of Bergmann, her fifth of the season as well, to all of a sudden give Quinnipiac a 2-0 lead.
At the end of the first frame, Quinnipiac led the game in shots 11-8, with all shots faced saved by Frank in between the posts.
The second period started off with more of the same as a two-on-one chance for the Bobcats was blocked aside by Bergmann. Cornell had a few quality chances to get on the board but were denied by the post on a shot by Piper Grober and a wrister by Avi Adam saved by Frank.
The Big Red went on the power play after a tripping call on Uens. After a few saves by Frank, the Bobcats would move into the offensive zone and capitalize on a shot by Prier, her second of the game, and the team’s third short-handed goal of the season.
“(Amanda Alessi) does such a good job preparing our penalty kill, but Felicia is always there for us and that helps us to be able to play very aggressive, and I think that makes power plays very uncomfortable, and that was the key today,” Quinnipiac head coach Cassandra Turner said.
The period ended with a bang as Frank stopped a shot at near point blank range to keep the Big Red off of the board. Although Cornell took over the lead in shots 29-26, Quinnipiac still led 3-0 at the end of two.
In the third period, Frank maintained her shutout, even through another Cornel power play after a interference call on Sennick.
With just over 6:30 to go, Cornell had perhaps it’s best scoring chance of the game when Karel Prefontaine send a shot past Frank that ricocheted off the inside of the far post.
“They make my job so much easier and its so fun to play with them because of what I have in front of me,” Frank said of the team’s defense.
Quinnipiac would go on their first power play of the game after a hooking call on Grace Dwyer, but would not convert.
With Bergmann pulled, Lamarche would send one into the empty net. The goal would tie the program’s record for goals in a single season with 30, with the record being set by Kelly Babstock in the 2010-11 season.
“They are both fun people and bring such great energy and great competitiveness,” Turner said. “I know Kahlen got to know Kelly over the summer, and for her to be in position to break that record, I think Kelly is very excited for her and that says a lot to the history and support for our program.”
Frank would also set a personal record for saves in a game with 39 saves in the game.
“She’s one of the best goalies in the country. When we make a mistake, we know she’s there to bail is out and that helps the team to have so much more confidence,” Turner said.
The day for the Bobcats would end in a 3-0 win, increasing their win streak to seven games.
“We are super happy with the weekend. It has been a long time since we’ve been able to win over Colgate and Cornell,” Turner said.
The Bobcats now hold the top spot in the ECAC standings by a half-point after Princeton’s loss to Colgate. Quinnipiac will take a trip to the North Country next weekend for games against St. Lawrence and Clarkson, the team that eliminated them in last year’s ECAC playoffs.
