The Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey team played in its second consecutive conference home-game Saturday afternoon, after coming off a 6-0 victory versus Colgate on Friday night.
This time, Quinnipiac’s game plan was going to have to focus in a defensive manner, taking on a Cornell team that had scored five-plus goals in its previous three games.
Shiann Darkangelo broke up a scoreless game late in the second period when she scored on a shorthanded goal on a play that was helped set up by captain Amanda Colin. The team’s first shorthanded goal of the season was a main reason why the Bobcats were able to hang on in a 1-1 tie.
Quinnipiac head coach Rick Seeley spoke up about how vital it was to contain a strong offense like Cornell’s.
“It’s always important but we have a great core and we lost one of our key [defenseman] Emma Greco in the first period with a concussion and I thought the other five stepped up and played a great game,” Seeley said.
Chelsea Laden and her supporting cast of defense helped contain a well-balanced attack demonstrated by Cornell’s offense. Laden had 26 saves in net and her only goal given up was on a penalty shot where Cornell’s Emily Fulton was able to put the puck past the five-hole of Laden.
Fulton’s goal off the penalty shot came 12:03 into the third period after Cydney Roesler fled back on defense by diving at the stick of Fulton’s. Fulton had tripped and fallen into the boards without getting a shot off and the referee made the decision to reward her with a penalty shot.
“The only smart penalties are ones with your going to prevent a goal,” Seeley said on Roesler’s decision that ultimately led to the Cornell goal. “It is what it is. She hustled back. The mistakes were made before that in terms of giving up the breakaway.”
One of the biggest opportunities for the Bobcats took place in the first period when Nicole Connery took control of the puck off a botched pass from Cornell goaltender Lauren Slebodnick. Slebodnick was out of place behind the net and Connery took an off-balanced shot that deflected wide, off the side of the net.
The game transitioned once Cornell tied the game up at 1 in the third period.
But because of limited time and a solid output from Cornell’s defense, Quinnipiac was only able to get off just four shots in the third period.
“I think we settled into the one-goal lead and we were playing more defensive minded,” Seeley said. “I think it was hard to shift gears once they did score their goal but I thought we were still solid. We still had a couple of chances in the last five minutes.”
Heading into overtime, Quinnipiac was able to find a couple of opportunities by putting two shots on goal. Strong play from both goaltenders left the game in a 1-1 tie.
Quinnipiac heads to Brown on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.
