LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — After winning the semifinal game by a final score of 2-1 over the Princeton Tigers, the Bobcats set their sights on the ECAC Championship on Saturday. The Bobcats haven’t had an opportunity like this since their 2015-16 championship season. Quinnipiac headed into this matchup on the other end of the tape from the Princeton semifinal as the Bobcats are 2-0 this year against the Yale Bulldogs.
There is a notable saying in sports that being “it’s hard to beat a team three times.” The Bobcats would have no problem putting that saying to rest tonight.
The game ended with a final score of 5-1, officially making ECAC women’s ice hockey history as the Bobcats became the first ECAC women’s team ever to hoist the trophy at Lake Placid.
The Bobcats await NCAA tournament selection day, which begins Sunday at 11 a.m., for their names to be called so the team finds out where they will be traveling for the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2022-23 season.
The opening frame was beneficial for the Bobcats as first-year forward Ella Johnson received a breakout pass from Makayla Watson. Johnson then took it into the offensive zone and beat Samson Frey glove side and it was 1-0 early for the Bobcats.
The Bulldogs would attempt to get back in the game on the powerplay after Mia Lopata got called for a cross-checking penalty at the ten minute mark in the second period. The Bulldogs with the momentum from the powerplay would start to sustain three minutes of zone pressure, throwing the barn door at Felicia Frank, but it wouldn’t matter as none would go in.
Head Coach Cass Turner had nothing but praise for goaltender Felicia Frank saying “She played unbelievable today.” She later went on to say, “She wants to do everything she can to help her team. She is the most selfless person.”
It would be the Felicia Frank show from there on as she went on to save 31-3231- of 32 on the night and dominate.absolutely steal the show. Frank would go on to be named to the All ECAC Tournament Team.
The Bobcats were able to gain momentum from the way Frank played and netted one goal in the second. Avery Bairos would be able to get a redirection in front of the net off of an Ella Sennick shot and just like that the Bobcats would go up 2-0.
That would not be the end of the Quinnipiac scoring party tonight as Zoe Uens would get a one-timer opportunity she would make no mistake about firing one right by Frey, making it 3-0 Bobcats.
The Bulldogs would attempt to battle back as they got another goal 12:00 into the third off of a beautiful forehand-backhand move, tucking it right under the right pad of Felicia Frank, making it 3-1 Quinnipiac.
The saying in hockey is that a two goal lead is the hardest lead to hold in sports. That wouldn’t be the case tonight either as the Bobcats would go on to net two empty netters, one from Ella Johnson and the other from Emerson Jarvis. That would be all she wrote for this one as the scoreboard ticked down to zero and there would be a little more Placid magic as the Bobcats celebrated an ECAC Women’s Championship.
Dreams have long been made in Lake Placid and for Mia Lapota this is nothing new as she said “The only thing I said on the ice is I don’t lose in this building.” Lapota won a state championship in high school in this same exact building.
Championship banners aren’t won in a single night; they are built through early morning practices, road trips and moments when the team refuses to break. Now Lake Placid has always been a place where hockey dreams seem to find a way of coming true. On Saturday night inside Herb Brooks Arena, the Quinnipiac Bobcats added their own chapter to that history. A dominant performance, a championship trophy, and a hyped up Bobcats locker room full of celebration ensure that this trip to Placid will be remembered for a very long time.
