After winning game one of a best-of-three series, the Quinnipiac Bobcats looked to clinch a trip to Lake Placid over the Brown Bears Saturday afternoon.
Quinnipiac was dominant going into the first media timeout of the game. The Bobcats led in shots on goal with eight and faceoff wins with seven.
A huge thanks to that is because of Emerson Jarvis. Jarvis got five of the eight shots and five of the seven faceoff wins. “You know, the best thing about this time of year is seniors,” head coach Cass Turner said. “She did a great job in the face off dot, winning draws for us.”
The first two minutes out of the timeout continued to be controlled by Quinnipiac, getting multiple high danger chances that was fended off by Brown netminder Anya Zupkofska.
The Bobcats that controlled a majority of the first period, it would be the Bears that struck first late because of senior forward Jade Iginla. Iginla and winger Ava Decoste would skate in on a two-on-one. With the puck on Iginla’s stick, she elected to shoot and went bar down to get scoring started.
Quinnipiac tied it up just before the halfway mark in the second. Brown attempted to skate the puck out of their zone but were met by Quinnipiac forward Laurence Frenette. Frenette dished the puck from the blue line for Kahlen Lamarche at the back door for the goal.
It didn’t take long for a response from Brown as junior forward Margot Norehad started a play from the neutral zone and easily split the defenders to go on a breakaway, roofing it to the top of the net over the glove of goaltender Felicia Frank.
The Bobcats had nearly doubled the shots of the Bears after two periods, but the score was reflecting something else. “Sometimes you get more shots and the other team wins, but for us we want to continue to push and make them uncomfortable,” Turner said
Quinnipiac came into the third period extremely hot, out shooting Brown 17-5 in that period. This led to the Bobcats tying it up. Less than a minute into a Gali Levy tripping penalty, Kahlen Lamarche found the puck from the right hand circle and sent it over the blocker of Zupkofska.
With 12 seconds left in the third period defender Aynsley D’Ottavio sent it in front of the crease to forward Bryn Prier but Zupkofska was able to keep it out and dove on it to kill the play, ending regulation
The third period would close with both teams tied at two, but the Bobcats entered the 20-minute overtime on the powerplay after defender Victoria Damiani received a two-minute interference penalty late in the third. The Bears were able to kill this penalty, limiting the Bobcats chances and being able to clear it three times.
Just under five minutes into overtime, Sam Broz stripped the puck from Mia Lopata to send a three-on-one the other way. A pass to Norehad between the circles sent this series to a game three on Sunday.
“They have some great shooters. They’re not afraid to make an extra pass on the rush, and they’re also not afraid to fire the puck. I thought they did a nice job of capitalizing on their opportunities today,” Turner said
Although the Bobcats couldn’t get the win they now look towards the next game on Sunday. “They’re excited,” she said. “They want to win. They want big things. They want to get to Lake Placid. For us it’s about being composed and excited for the moment.”
