It was quite the emotional game for the Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey team Saturday afternoon as it routed the Union Dutchwomen 5-0 on its Senior Day at the People’s United Center.

Quinnipiac (12-6-14, 9-9-2 ECAC) put up quite the performance, firing more than 50 shots on goal and holding Union (4-26-2, 2-17-1 ECAC) to just 10. Quinnipiac controlled play and possession for the majority of the game and proved it on the scoreboard.

“We got back from Christmas and we talked about it and we let ourselves really start fresh and not be upset with some of the losses that we’ve had and to really dig into getting better faster than anybody else out there,” Quinnipiac head coach Cassandra Turner said. “I think people are truly beginning to understand what it’s gonna take to win.”

[media-credit name=”Emily Thompson” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Sophomore forward Taylor House kicked off the scoring only 42 seconds into the game as she snapped a pass from junior forward Sarah-Eve Coutu-Godbout into the back of the net.

Quinnipiac kept the ball rolling all period as it hounded Union’s junior goalie  Amelia Murray, firing puck after puck at her and crashing the net non-stop.

On her Senior Day, forward Melissa Samoskevich netted her team-leading 12th goal of the season. Senior forward Kenzie Lancaster and junior defenseman Kate MacKenzie acquired assists on the goal.

“When I look at [Samoskevich] and I think about who she is today, I’m just so proud of her,” Turner said. “She’s always been so good in transition offensively, but now she’s really possessing and creating offense from low in the zone.”

During the second period, Coutu-Godbout notched her second point of the night with a wrap-around attempt that had a little luck as it bounced off a Union defenseman and slid into the net.

The third period was more of the same as House beautifully redirected a shot from sophomore defenseman Olivia Konigson with freshman forward Lexie Adzija recording a secondary assist.

“The second one I just tried to get open, called for the pass from [Konigson] and she found me,” House said. “We had a lot of puck luck today and I think my line was moving. Each period, every shift just get a scoring chance.”

The final goal was a perfect end to the Quinnipiac senior night as three seniors tallied a point. Forward Randi Marcon finished off a passing display from defenseman Anna Kilponen and Lancaster.

[media-credit name=”Emily Thompson” align=”alignleft” width=”300″][/media-credit]“I’m just so proud of each and every one of them,” Turner said. “They really are truly becoming the best versions of themselves and the best hockey players that they can be.”

Quinnipiac’s final shift of the game was one the seniors will never forget, as they collectively took one last regular season in-game skate on home ice. Once the buzzer sounded they huddled together one last time before joining the rest of their teammates.

“When you think about how you want your seniors to feel in their final weekend at Quinnipiac, I don’t think there was any better effort by our entire team to show them just how much they care about them,” Turner said. “We’re proud of them, we’re really excited about how we’re playing.”

Quinnipiac looks to continue its playoff push this upcoming weekend with games on Friday against St. Lawrence and Clarkson on Saturday.