HAMDEN — The No. 7 Quinnipiac Bobcats and the No. 9 Yale Bulldogs faced off Saturday with the ECAC regular season title on the line, as well as ECAC playoff implications. The Bobcats were able to storm back, beating Yale 4-3 in overtime..
After a stale start to the game, senior defenseman Gracie Gilkyson broke the deadlock for Yale after a defensive lapse and a hit from junior forward Stephanie Stainton left Gilkyson alone for a shot over Quinnipiac sophomore goaltender Felicia Frank’s right shoulder.
Only a minute later Stainton found herself a part of another Yale goal, only this time scoring; after another big hit behind the Bobcat net left her with space to fire a shot in the same spot.
Quinnipiac struggled to find a rhythm in the first, despite having a power play from a boarding penalty on sophomore defenseman Sophia Levering. As time dwindled in the first, sophomore defenseman Aynsley D’Ottavio had her sights on the goal but had her shot blocked as Stainton made another big play for the Bulldogs.
Quinnipiac came out hot in the second period, peppering shots on freshman goaltender Samson Frey, but none were able to find the back of the net.
Halfway through the second, D’Ottavio attempted a wraparound shot, but lost control falling on the ice. Yale failed to clear, and the puck fell to sophomore winger Bryn Prier, who found freshman forward Cormier in the slot as the puck blazed past Frey, cutting the Bulldogs’ lead to one.
Frank was tested consistently in the first two periods and stood tall, instilling confidence in the rest of the team.
“We have so much confidence,” junior forward Kahlen Lamarche said.
Frank has been recognized as one of the best goaltenders in the country, tallying 34 saves against the Bulldogs tonight.
The Bobcats entered the third period one goal down and Frank found herself in a one-on-one with sophomore forward Cami Bell and was able to keep the puck out three minutes into the third.
With nine minutes to go, senior defensemen Carina DiAntonio held the puck entering the neutral zone. She found a pass to Stainton to split two defenders, then passed the puck to senior forward Jordan Ray, who picked up her own rebound, restoring the Bulldogs two goal lead.
Quinnipiac’s offensive struggles continued well into the third period, with only senior forward Emerson Jarvis able to carry into the offensive zone.
Frank had been pulled for the extra attacker, and only a minute remained with the Bobcats still down. D’Ottavio found the puck after a faceoff and passed to Jarvis in the slot for a one-timer. But ultimately, it was Lamarche who poked the puck home, cutting the lead to one again.
The momentum was on the Bobcats’ side.
With 30 seconds left, Jarvis won another gritty faceoff in the offensive end, and graduate student forward Laurence Frenette passed the puck to D’Ottavio at the blue line. D’Ottavio wound up for a slap shot and sent the game to overtime, as the Bobcats stormed back in the dying moments of the contest.
Puck possession changed constantly in overtime, as Frank and Frey each made saves keeping their teams alive.
Freshman defenseman Molly Boyle found herself in the slot but couldn’t get the puck on her stick as D’Ottavio and freshman defensemanElla Johnson picked her off, sending Lamarche into Bulldog territory.
Lamarche found herself one-on-one with Frey and made no mistake putting the game to bed, firing a forehand shot off the post to notch her 35th goal of the year and fourth point of the game, completing the Bobcats comeback.
When asked about the game-winning shot, Jarvis responded, “she’s got this, I’m not worried.”
The Bobcats finished the regular season 3rd in the ECAC standings, clinching a bye to the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. Quinnipiac will face the winner of the Colgate vs. RPI opening round matchup.
