Women’s ice hockey continues its hot streak to open the year, finishing its road trip with a 5-1 win over the Syracuse Orange Saturday afternoon.
This would complete Quinnipiac’s sweep over Syracuse, with the Bobcats taking Friday’s contest over the Orange 3-0. This win also moves the Bobcats to 6-0 on the season so far.
The Bobcats opened the first period with their offense doing what they do best. Putting the pressure hard and putting the pressure on early.
Four minutes into the opening frame, graduate student forward Laurence Frenette sent the puck across the ice to junior forward Kahlen Lamarche. Lamarche, skating into the Syracuse third, would sling a shot into the upper right-hand corner past freshman goalie Ava Draybk for the first goal of the game.
With 20 seconds left in the Bobcat’s first power-play of the game, sophomore defenseman Ella Sennick sent the puck across the ice to senior defenseman Zoe Uens. Uens would take the puck from the right faceoff zone in the Syracuse end and send it into the back of the net, extending the bobcat lead 2-0.
The power play has been a note of concern for the entire Quinnipiac season. Coming into yesterday’s contest, the team was zero for 10 on power plays. Yesterday the team went two for three and finished today converting two of seven power plays.
Opening the second period, the Bobcats picked up right where they left off. Less than a minute in, freshman forward Ella Johnson would feed a pass to Lamarche in the attacking end. Lamarche would take it all the way around the net and find Frenette right in front of the crease. From there, Frenette would find the net for the Bobcats third goal, extending their lead.
Just before the halfway point of the second period, Syracuse committed their fifth penalty of the game via a tripping call from junior Orange forward Mik Todd. The Bobcats would make the Orange pay, adding their fourth goal of the game from a putaway by sophomore Bryn Prier off a deflected shot from senior forward Emerson Jarvis.
Having not allowed a goal in her last three games, sophomore goaltender Felicia Frank continued her dominance today, saving all 20 shots she faced from the Syracuse attack in the first two periods.
The final frame saw a more evenly matched contest between the two squads. The Orange and the Bobcats both had good offense moments early, but neither team was able to convert on any of their chances.
That was until the 11th minute mark of the third period, where Syracuse junior forward Jackson Kinsler would get the puck to freshman forward Emma Gnade. Gnade would sneak the puck around Frank and into the net, opening the scoring for the Orange.
Syracuse wouldn’t go down without a fight, pulling Draybk with four minutes left in the final period as well as having a six on four opportunity with Sennick being called on a cross checking penalty.
Despite this, the Bobcats held on, adding their fifth and final goal of the game with Lamarche scoring an empty-netter from their home third, giving Lamarche her second of the game and fourth of the weekend.
Quinnipiac returns to home ice on Friday, Oct. 17, against the Northeastern University Huskies. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m.
