The Bobcats lost two games against conference foes on Feb. 20 and Feb. 21, but more importantly lost five seniors who have had a profound impact on Quinnipiac’s women’s ice hockey team. Although, the Bobcats have much to look forward to as many of their main contributors will be back next season.

Yale scores late, steals victory

The Quinnipiac women’s hockey team skated to a stalemate with Yale University on Feb. 20 for the first 55 minutes. It’s too bad a hockey game is 60 minutes long. With five minutes left in the game, Yale’s Bray Ketchum broke through the Quinnipiac defense and slapped a shot under the stick of Bobcat goalie Nanna Holm-Glaas to give Yale the lead. This 1-0 lead would be all the Bulldogs needed as they got the win, improving to 12-15-1 overall and 8-12-1 in the ECAC. The loss drops the Bobcats’ record to 3-25-5 and 2-14-5 in the conference.

It was not to say that Quinnipiac didn’t have scoring chances during the game. Quinnipiac had two power plays in the game but a combination of penalties and lack of shots on goal hurt their chances to even the score.

Holm-Glaas was credited with 30 saves in the effort, while Yale’s Jackee Snikeris made 20 saves in win, earning her second shutout of the season.

Brown ends season to forget

The Bobcats traveled to Providence, R.I., to play their final game of the year against the Brown Bears on Feb. 21. The Bears got on the board first, and kept tacking on. The Bobcats lone goal from Chelsea Illchuk would not overcome the deficit, resulting in a 3-1 loss for the Bobcats. The loss ended Quinnipiac’s season at 3-26-5 and 2-15-5 in the ECAC while Brown improved their record to 7-21-1 and 6-16 in the conference, capping their season as well.

Brown got on the board first, five minutes into the period, when Katelyn Landry deflected a slap shot from Frances Male and put it into the back corner of the net for the goal.

In the second period, the Bears tacked onto their lead, when Jenna Dancewicz backhanded a shot past Holm-Glaas for Brown’s second goal of the night. Andrea Hunter and Nicole Brown assisted the goal. Brown made the score 3-0 when the Bears caught Holm-Glaas out of position clearing the puck. Brown snuck the puck past Holm-Glaas’ diving attempt to block the shot for their third and final goal.

Antoinette Maldonado brought the score within two when she found Chelsea Illchuk in the middle of the ice. Illchuk slapped the puck past Brown goalie Nicole Stock for the goal. Melissa Perry was also credited with an assist on the goal. This goal would not be enough as the game ended with the scoreboard in Brown’s favor, 3-1.

For five Bobcats, this was their final college hockey game. Quinnipiac will be losing five letter winners: Captain Trudy Reyns, Antoinette Maldonado, Elyse Cole, Erika Bolognino and Danielle Alexieff. Reyns holds the Bobcats all-time scoring record and this season’s top goal scorer and points leader. Maldonado is fifth in career points for the Bobcats. The five seniors have played 547 games combined. The Bobcats will certainly miss their veteran experience in the 2009-10 campaign.

Next season, the program will be expecting big contributions from players such as Janine Duffy, who was second in points and goals this season, Kallie Flor, Illchuk, Evelina Husar, Kelley Davies, Jordan Elkins and goalies Holm-Glaas and Tia Wishart. Wishart’s .906 save percentage this season ranks second all-time and her 2.85 goals allowed average this season ranks third all-time for the Bobcats.