After being shut out on New Year’s Eve, the Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey team started the new year right by defeating No. 2 Wisconsin 3-0 Sunday afternoon. It is the first Quinnipiac win against Wisconsin in program history and snapped the Bobcats’ two-game skid. 

The first 15 minutes of the game saw Quinnipiac trapped in its own zone while Wisconsin skaters managed to cruise around defenders and create chances. However, Quinnipiac junior goaltender Catie Boudiette stood tall and made an early right pad save to keep the game scoreless. 

Following a successful penalty kill for the Bobcats, they gained momentum. Senior forward Jess Schryver stole the puck in the Badgers’ zone and centered a pass to junior forward Nina Steigauf which would be stopped with a left pad save by Wisconsin redshirt senior goaltender Cami Kronish.

The Bobcats continued applying pressure in the Wisconsin zone, finally breaking through when senior defenseman Kate Reilly fired a wrist shot just above the right circle over Kronish’s shoulder, putting Quinnipiac up 1-0. 

Throughout the second period, both teams showcased stout defense. They cut passes and limited chances in the offensive zone. The Badgers blocked more shots, but the Bobcats cut off the middle of the ice – a place where Wisconsin skaters proved to be most effective in the first period to create scoring chances. 

The past repeated itself as after another successful penalty kill gave the Bobcats a two-on-one opportunity. This time Kronish came up big for Wisconsin and made a sliding left pad save. 

Boudiette would steal the spotlight from Kronish by making a big save of her own. The Badgers maintained possession in their offensive zone and sent a cross-crease pass to freshman forward Laila Edwards, who was robbed by Boudiette’s left pad. To end the period, Quinnipiac junior forward Olivia Mobley drew a tripping penalty, giving the Bobcats a power play to start the final frame. 

With 30 seconds remaining in the power play, graduate student Zoe Boyd stole the puck at the blueline and sent a pass to a wide open Steigauf in the slot, who roofed the puck to make it 2-0 Quinnipiac. 

The best save of the evening came in the final frame by Boudiette. Wisconsin graduate student defenseman Natalie Buchbinder received a pass wide open in front of the crease and shot it towards the top right corner, but was met by Boudiette’s glove. 

Clip it 👇 pic.twitter.com/zhCR0bdYZR

— Quinnipiac Women's Ice Hockey (@QU_WIH) January 1, 2023

The Redding, Connecticut, native took over the next 13 minutes, making a plethora of tough saves and keeping Wisconsin off of the scoreboard.

The Bobcats pounced on a golden opportunity during a line change. Sophomore forward Maya Labad received a pass bolting through the neutral zone and fired a missile at Kronish, who made the initial save but couldn’t stop the back door tap in by Labad to make it 3-0. 

Wisconsin head coach Mark Johnson pulled Kronish with 3:30 remaining in the third period. The decision to have the extra attacker would be taken out of his hands as the Badgers took a penalty for too many skaters with 1:24 to go. 

Quinnipiac was able to kill the rest of the clock to secure a huge 3-0 victory – mirroring the score of Saturday’s contest. Boudiette displayed an elite level of play throughout the game, recording her seventh win on the season, stopping all 34 shots she faced for her fifth shutout.  

With the series split, Quinnipiac improves to 18-3-0 on the season. The Bobcats will travel to Boston this Friday for an outdoor game at Fenway Park for Frozen Fenway, where they will face Harvard (4-8-2) at 3 p.m.