By David F. Pendrys

HAMDEN, CT – The Quinnipiac Bobcats women’s hockey team put 52 shots on the Union Dutchwomen net Friday night and scored three goals, but the game would not be settled in regulation as the visitors managed to also notch three tallies on just 12 shots. In the end though QU would pick up a 4-3 win.

In the first period, QU outshot Union 17-3, but it was Sierra Lee of the Dutchwomen who scored first. Lee managed to get a break right in on QU’s Abbie Ives after some chaos in the Bobcats zone. She flicked the puck over the netminder for the lead at 11:47. An assist went to Helen Markovic on the play.

Despite QU’s massive offensive effort swarming the Union net, nothing got past goalie Coco Francis in the first. Quinnipiac had a variety of near misses throughout the game, including a good luck that resulted in puck landing on top of the net.

It took until 10:33 of period 2 until the Bobcats got on the board as Melissa Samoskevich’s major efforts paid off following a faceoff. She collected the puck and skated in, defeating Francis in a one on one contest. Assists went to Kati Tabin and Kenzie Lancaster on the opening score.

QU would continue to dominate the shot differential generating chances, but it was Union who struck again with 5 seconds left in the period. Katelynn Russ created some space within traffic and launched a shot at close range past Ives. Assists went to Cheyenne Harris and Rachel de Perio QU had sent 12 shots to Union’s 6 on net in that period, but the Dutchwomen still had the 2-1 lead.

Samoskevich remedied the situation at 6:15 in the third. During a power play. A Bobcats shot attempt bounced off a Union player, but it went right to Samoskevich on the other side of the net, and she deposited it into the large space given to her.

Lee responded for Union 4 minutes later as Megan Ryan had picked up the puck in her end and skated all the way down with it starting an odd skater rush. Ryan then fed Lee in front and she whisked it past the keeper.

Despite a massive shot differential in their favor, QU was still down by a goal with two and a half minutes left. Ives was brought off the ice, bringing on the extra attacker. Union fended off the six on five advantage for awhile, and even had a break of their own, as a shot went at the empty net, but was blocked by Kati Tabin, saving the game. The Bobcats continued to attack, and during a chaotic scene in front the puck came to Taylor House who smacked it past Francis with 1.8 seconds left. Assist went to Kenzie Lancaster and Kate MacKenzie who had been part of the attempt. QU would end the period with 22 shots on Francis, compared to only 3 taken by Union.

In overtime, Raquel Pennoyer swept into the Union end, and the defense closed in on her, but she passed it right to Samoskevich on the other side who smashed the puck by the defender in front of her and past Francis to end the game and earn her a hat trick.

“Pretty wild hockey game. I don’t think I’ve been a part of a game where we gave up a goal in the last two seconds of the period, and then we score in the last two seconds of a period. Great fight, we made some fight, but we just kept going and kept going. To have our goalie pulled for that long, and to continue and fight and battle, I think it was a good character win for us,” Quinnipiac Head Coach Cassandra Turner said.

Giving up 3 goals to Union on their small shot count was a concern though. “I think that it’s a team effort,” Turner explained. “We just shouldn’t be giving up the opportunities that we gave up. We shouldn’t give up the 3 on 1. We shouldn’t be in a position where we’re at the end of the period and their scoring with two seconds to go. That’s not ok and our team knows that. I think mentally for the team continue to battle, that’s a lesson, and that’s the excitement that the group has right now, and for us as a coaching staff, I think that’s a new mentality, and we’re excited about that, and excited to have that moving forward.”

QU rises to 6-6-0 and 2-3 in the ECAC, and Union drops to 3-7-1 and 2-1-0 in the ECAC. Ives made 9 saves on the 12 shots faced, Francis impressively made 48 saves on the evening.

Samoskevich had 11 shots for QU and Lancaster, House, Grace Markey all had 6. Tabin put up 5, Pennoyer 3, and MacKenzie 3 as well. For Union, Lee had 3 shots total, Harris had 3 as well and Russ had 2.

Speaking about the team’s opportunities, Turner took note of the struggles QU has had getting the shots converted into goals throughout the season. “We haven’t been scoring a lot, so for us to put some pucks in the net, and to have some great opportunities too that didn’t end up in the back of the net, they ended up on the top of the net and some other places. I think that was really good for us.”

She later would volunteer her praise for Markey. “I was really impressed with Grace Markey. She’s not someone who ended up on the score sheet, but she’s been working and battling, and working to really compete at this level and you saw her make some really good plays for us today.”

Prater and House led QU with 2 blocks apiece, MacKenzie, Tabin, Lancaster, and Laura Lundblad all had 1 block as well. QU had 9 blocks which nearly equaled Union’s total shots on net. Union had 17 including 3 from Arianna Kosakowski, 2 each from Brandy Streeter, Ava Reynolds, and Katie Laughlin. Camille Von Steinbergs, Angelica Melone Harris, Russ, and Jordi Naidrich had 1 each.

Presser Videos (Featuring members of Q30, QBSN, QU Chronicle, & QU Athletics, and myself.)

Coach Turner

Melissa Samoskevich

Taylor House

Noticed Plays.

(This is a not exhaustive very imperfect list of noticed plays that might not make the score sheet. It is very possible a player has far more of any sort of play than are noticed in the heat of action. It is what it is. Read these more as a player had “at least” what is noted here. Note the language is a bit stilted, I’m trying to figure out how to make the information flow better.)

Quinnipiac

Taylor House

Disrupted a break, stole the puck in the offensive zone for a scoring chance. She also skated the puck into the Union zone several times, including a time she had to really fight it across the line. Also stole the puck in the neutral zone, and on the defensive size snatched the puck from a Dutchwoman and moved it out of the QU end.

Melissa Samoskevich

Had numerous steals in the Union zone. She also used her great stick handling to either setup her own scoring chances or that of others. She fed House for a scoring chance at one point. The QU Co-Captain also skated the puck effectively into the opposing zone. Defensively she acquired the puck in the QU zone and brought it all the way into the visitor’s end. She also disrupted a Union zone entry. In overtime she also got a stick onto a Union shot causing it to deflect way off target.

Kenzie Lancaster

Lancaster skated the puck into the Union zone often and set up scoring chances for herself or for teammate’s a lot. She was one of the most noticeable players in the QU attack.

Grace Markey

The Freshman brought the puck across the Dutchwomen blue line many times throughout the game creating numerous opportunities. She used excellent stick work to prolong chances. She also intercepted the puck in the opposing end. Defensively she exited the puck from the Bobcats zone several times on the night.

Abby Cleary

She was noticed snatching the puck a few times during the Bobcats attack. She also kept the puck from leaving the zone allowing a scoring chance to follow.

Laura Lundblad & Kate MacKenzie disrupted a Union centering pass. Lundblad carried the puck into the opposing zone, including after a steal in the neutral zone. She also stole the biscuit on the Union side and broke in on net. By keeping the puck from crossing the blue line, she opened the door for a Cleary scoring attempt. At another time she stole the puck from a defender and fed Cleary again. She had several steals in Union’s zone. Lundblad also disrupted Union’s attempt to move through the neutral zone and at a different point, she stole the puck only to bring it right in.

Shannon Cherpak

The defender kept the puck within the Dutchwomen’s side several times. She also had clear on the penalty kill, a steal in the defensive zone, and she also got the puck out of danger.

Kenzie Prater

The defender prevented the puck from leaving the Union zone and a scoring chance would follow. She also fought the disc out of her own end at another point. She also stole the puck from a Dutchwoman in the QU end. She also disrupted a Union effort at close range preventing the player from getting a shot. Later with another Union player on the doorstep, Ives closed off some of the net, but Prater made sure her stick got in the way of her opponent’s attempt to put it into a gap in the goal.

Raquel Pennoyer

She often was a catalyst bringing the puck in on the attack into the Union zone. She also at least one acquired the puck in the Bobcats zone and brought it out.

Brooke Bonsteel

She had several steals in the offensive zone, including one that lead to a scoring chance. She also skated the puck in to start opportunities, and didn’t allow the puck to leave the zone either.

Kate MacKenzie

In addition to bringing the puck up ice a few times, she also disrupted several opposing zone entries, and had a clear on the penalty kill. She also kept the puck from leaving the zone, stole it in the neutral zone, and at another juncture, fought the disc out of the QU end.

Renee Saltness

Was noticed contributing to QU’s attempts to swarm the net. She also had at least one steal in the defensive zone.

Kati Tabin

She had a steal in the defensive zone and she moved the puck away. She also disrupted an attacker’s zone entry. During a penalty kill she whiskey the puck out of the goal mouth for a clear. She had a steal in the neutral zone, and kept the puck from leaving Union’s at a different time.

Alicia Barry

The Co-Captain played a role in setting up several offensive efforts. She also stole the puck in the neutral zone to move it up ice. She also at least one got the puck out of the defensive end.

Union

Cheyenne Harris

Had a steal at the edge of her defensive zone. She also skated the puck in for a rare Union scoring chance. With QU attacking with a six on five late, she moved the puck out of the zone.

Arianna Kosakowski

She had numerous steals in the defensive end, and also set an offensive attack in motion. Several times she either stole or otherwise got to the puck in the Union end and sent it on its way.

Helen Markovic

Was noticed often getting to the puck in her own end and moving it out. She was also seen skating the disc in on the attack numerous times as well. She also disrupted a QU zone entry. Later with the Bobcats gaining the extra attacker by pulling the goalie she fought to get the puck across her blue line.

Haley Shugart

A puck acquisition in the QU zone lead to a scoring chance. During QU’s extra attacker period late in the game, she stole the puck in the Union end to temporarily blunt a Bobcats attack.

Katie Laughlin

Had a clear on the penalty kill, led an attack across the QU line, and stole the disc in their end too.

Megan Flynn

She disrupted a QU attack and skated the puck out. At another point her good defense helped move the puck out of the zone and that movement eventually lead to a Dutchwoman goal. She also robbed QU of the puck in the Union zone, and had an interception in the neutral zone which she skated in.

Hannah Shultz

Had many instances where she collected the puck in the Union zone and started it out or brought it out herself. She intercepted the disc in the neutral zone and skated it in on the attack. She also kept the puck in the zone during an attack. During a QU effort, she kicked the puck out of the goal area when her stick was lost. On a Quinnipiac break in on net, she took away the angle pushing her opponent to the outside. On yet another QU attempt, the puck headed towards the edge of the net, but she got a stick on it and whisked it away from danger.

Katelynn Russ

Often was in the position of having to fight the puck across her blue line. She also followed up a blocked shot by moving the puck out. She disrupted a QU zone entry, and had at least one instance of getting the puck out of the goal mouth. She had a steal in the defensive zone and passed the puck up to move it out. When QU had the extra attacker on she cleared the puck at one point.

Jordi Naidrich

Skated the puck into the opposing zone several times for opportunities. Also got the to the puck numerous times in the Bobcats end to start other chances. She had to fight her way out of her own zone at one point.

Brandy Streeter

She was often collecting the puck in the Union end and moving it out herself or passing it off. During QU’s portion with an extra attacker she fought the puck across the blue line.

Ava Reynolds

Had several instances where she moved the puck out of the defensive zone, including ending a very long QU attack period. She also stole the disc at the neutral zone and skated in on the attack.

Camille von Steinbergs

Blocked a shot on the penalty kill.

Rachel de Perio

Several times she snatched the puck in the neutral zone from a QU player and headed into the offensive zone.

Angelica Melone

Had at least one instance of collecting the puck in the Dutchwomen zone and moving it out.