By David F. Pendrys

NEW HAVEN, CT – The #3 Colgate Raiders women’s hockey team has lost only once this year, and that status didn’t change Friday night on their visit to Ingalls Rink to take on Yale. The Bulldogs put up a fight but took some penalties they didn’t need to and had trouble slowing down the swift skilled scorers of Colgate. Yale did have their offensive chances, but they only got the puck into the back of the net, as opposed to Colgate’s five successful goals.

The Raiders scored three minutes into the game on a well organized break in on net. Annika Zalewski sent the puck across the ice in front of Yale’s Kyra O’Brien right to Jessie Eldridge who got it past the keeper before she could slide across at 2:54. Secondary assist went to Lauren Wildfang.

Seven minutes later Colgate would strike again in similar fashion as Megan Sullivan came in from O’Brien’s left and passed across to Breanne Wilson-Bennett who scored as she fell, getting the puck past the netminder before she could block it. Wildfang also had an assist on this goal as well.

Yale would respond at 12:35 as Laura Anderson ended up with the puck in front of the Colgate net, and sent it point blank past netminder Julia Vandyk. Courtney Pensavalle had the lone assist. That would be it for the scoring in the first as Colgate put up 13 shots to Yale’s 5.

In period 2 at 1:11 during a Colgate attack, Zalewski snatched the puck away from the Bulldogs and lined up a quick shot, which O’Brien looked like she had lined up for a glove save, but the puck bounced off her glove into the net.

This led Coach Joakim Flygh to pull O’Brien and put in Gianna Meloni. This did have a stabilizing effect for a time but the Raiders weren’t done scoring.

Midway through the period, Olivia Zafuto set up a slapper from near the blue line, and Kaila Pinkney deflected it past Meloni. A secondary assist went to Ellie DeCaprio as well.

The Raiders would end the period up 4-1, having put 25 total shots on Yale keepers, and the Bulldogs had put up 14. To be fair, many Yale shots were of good quality, there were fewer low percentage chances, but all the same it didn’t result in anything beyond Anderson’s tally. O’Brien had ended the night with 12 saves, Meloni had picked up 9 in the period. Yale had lost a good opportunity late in the frame when Wildfang was in the penalty box. Mere seconds into the power play, a Yale penalty ended their advantage.

All the same Yale had two more power play opportunities in the third, which they sorely needed, but Colgate managed two serious short handed tries on those, and Yale couldn’t find the back of the net. Yale would take two penalties of their own later in the period to make the remote possibility of a comeback even more difficult. The first penalty resulted in a Colgate goal as Wilson-Bennett tallied her second of the game, Bailey Larson had stickhandled through the Bulldogs zone at will and shot it, setting up Wilson-Bennett’s score.

Vandyk would end the day with 17 saves on Yale’s 18 shots. Meloni made 20 saves in total as the Yale goalies combined to make 32 on the 37 Colgate shots.

Eldridge and Wilson-Bennett each had five shots to lead Colgate. Shae Labbe had 4, Wildfang, Larson, Coralie Larose, and Malia Schneider all had 3.

Kaitlin Gately and Emma Vlasic took 3 shots each to lead Yale, Emily Monaghan, Kirsten Nergaard, and Courtney Pensavalle all had 2.

Schneider had 2 blocks for Colgate, Zafuto, Jackie Leone, DeCaprio, and Larose each had 1. Yale’s Mallory Souliotis blocked 5 shots, Kara Drexler blocked 3. Grace Wickens, Julia Yetman, and Lauren Moriyama all had 2. Anderson, Nergaard, Sophie Veronneau, and Saroya Tinker had 1 apiece.

It wasn’t all bad news for the Bulldogs. Greta Skarzynski distinguished herself by generating chances even late when the game was likely out of hand. Nergaard also didn’t have as much ice time as the top 3 line players, but she made her time on ice count in the third, trying to generate some points. Saroya Tinker looked to be a steadying force on the defensive side. Meloni, the first year, did give up two goals but came in cold against the 3^rd ranked team in the country and did turn away many of their attempts. In the first period especially, Yale did seem able to push forward with an effective attack despite Colgate’s attempts, though an ineffective power play, and the burden of the penalty kill hurt their chances.

Admittedly Colgate’s offense often outmaneuvered the Yale defenders so it was difficult to gauge success from a lot of the stalwarts on the Bulldogs. Colgate’s top three lines were especially dangerous, but the fourth line was not silent either, as the Raiders deployed so many weapons throughout the game. It is not surprising that Colgate is where they are with this explosive type of offense available.

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.)

Yale

Tess Dettling

Brought it in to set up a Gately scoring chance.

Lauren Moriyama

In addition to moving it out of the defensive zone, she disrupted a Colgate pass.

Mallory Souliotis

On the penalty kill blocked a pass, also on a PK stole a puck and eventually Yale got it cleared. Had a clear herself, and on another penalty kill had one of her blocks. She also intercepted a puck in the defensive zone and sent it Vlasic who moved it out.

Emma Vlasic

Had multiple zone entries, and also a clear on the penalty kill.

Courtney Pensavalle

Disrupted several Colgate efforts. Had a steal in the opposing zone and acquired the puck another time. Also had several zone entries. Moved the puck out of the Yale end at one point. She cleared the puck on a penalty kill, on another penalty kill she intercepted the puck and cleared it.

Kara Drexler

Had a steal in the D zone and started it out of the zone. Also stole it from a Raider on the penalty kill. She also blocked an opponent’s pass . Along with Tinker they disrupted a scoring chance during another PK. Also while on the kill intercepted the puck in the neutral zone and skated instead in on the Colgate side.

Kaitlin Gately

Got to the disc in the opposing zone, and it lead to a scoring opportunity. Also had a zone entry at a different times.

Grace Wickens

Had several zone exits.

Laura Anderson

Had several zone entries and zone exits. Also stole the puck in the visiting end to generate an opportunity.

Emily Monaghan

Many times throughout the game, collected the puck in the D zone and moved it out. Also came up with it in the offensive end and setup scoring chances. She also fought to get the puck across the blue line during another zone entry.

Julia Yetman

Disrupted multiple Colgate efforts including a scoring chance and a zone entry. On the penalty kill she collected the puck and cleared it several times, also fed it to Pensavalle who cleared it with a skate disadvantage. Also had a block on the PK. With a skater advantage had a scoring chance, also kept the puck within the zone to prolong the sequence.

Jordan Chancellor

Had a zone entry, also collected the puck in the Colgate zone for a chance, and had a clear on the penalty kill.

Greta Skarzynski

Had several steals in the Raider end, including one that generated a scoring possibility. She created a zone entry which led to a team scoring chance. She had a scoring chance herself on the power play. She also had zone exits. On a penalty kill she cleared it from the zone. She also forechecked heavily while a skater down.

Saroya Tinker

She intercepted several Colgate passes, including one in the defensive zone, which she turned into a move out of the end. She also got to a centering pass and cleared it during a penalty kill. At even strength she skated into the offensive end several times and had many zone exits. She also had a scoring try on the power play.

Eden Murray

Disrupted a Colgate zone entry, and flummoxed their setup at another point. Had zone entries, and also collected the puck in the opposing zone.

Colgate

Breanne Wilson-Bennett

Had numerous zone entries for scoring chances, including on the power play, and even had a short handed try on the penalty kill. Also had at least two steals in the Yale end, and other collections of the puck on the Bulldog side. Also swiped the puck from an opponent in the Colgate end.

Shae Labbe

Her stickhandling ability generated a chance on net on the power play. She also had several zone entries which led to scoring efforts as well. She did have a break in on net which was stopped by the Yale keeper. She also blocked a Yale pass.

Annika Zalewski

Stole it in the offensive zone for a chance on net. A goal would follow after this sequence. Also had other zone entries for scoring opportunities.

Shelby Wood

Corralled the puck keeping it from going over the blue line during the attack. Also blocked a Yale centering pass. Grabbed the puck in the defensive zone and moved it out and into the Yale zone.

Malia Schneider

Her zone entries often set up scoring chances including one on the power play. She and Wildfang fought the puck out of the Colgate zone. She also came up with the puck in the Bulldogs section as well.

Shannon Ormel

Her stickhandling produced a scoring chance. Also fed it to Eldridge for a shot that hit the post.

Anonda Hoppner

On penalty kills battled to get it across the line. Also cleared it on the PK. A zone entry of hers lead to a teammate’s scoring opportunity.

Lauren Wildfang

Had multiple times she collected the biscuit in the Raider end, and moved it out. Also disrupted a Yale zone entry. Offensively skated it across the Yale blue line to start the attack, also prevented the puck from leaving for another scoring chance. Later her efforts to keep the puck from exiting eventually led to a goal. Stole the puck from a Bulldog in their zone as well. Also had a clear on the penalty kill.

Bailey Bennett

Stole the puck in the Yale end and eventually the team got a goal on that possession.

Livia Altmann

Had numerous clears on the penalty kill, and also on the PK interrupted a zone entry.

Olivia Zafuto

Acquired the puck in Yale zone which lead to a scoring chance, and another offensive opportunity came when she kept the puck within the zone. Had at least three clears on the penalty kill, and blocked a Bulldogs pass. Also stole the puck in the defensive zone at even strength.

Kaila Pinkney

Had multiple clears during penalty kills, and also flummoxed the Yale setup in the neutral zone.

Jackie Leone

Prevented a Yale zone entry.

Shelby Perry

Her stickhandling made a scoring chance happen. She also had numerous zone entries, including on the power play that directly led to team tries on net.

Bailey Larson

Had several zone entries. Also exited the Raider zone and sent it to Wilson-Bennett who skated it in. She also robbed a Yale player of a puck in the offensive zone. She generated a short handed try during the PK and also brought it out of the zone at another point.

Megan Sullivan

Stole the puck in the neutral zone and fed it to Wilson-Bennett. Also had scoring attempt on the power play. Had other zone entries as well, and stole the puck in the Yale end and a scoring chance follows. Also started a chain of passes that led to a shot on the power play.

Jessie Eldridge

Prevented a Yale player from doing what they wanted to do and cleared the puck at even strength. Used skillful stickhandling to line up a scoring chance. Also interrupted a Bulldogs effort leading to a Perry scoring opportunity. She also skated the puck from zone to zone leading to a team play on net. She also got a stick on a Yale pass. At another point collected the disc in the defensive end and skated it all the way down. Also setup another Perry scoring chance with an entry.

Coralie Larose

One of her blocks came on the penalty kill. Also down a skater she had a short handed try herself. She also had a zone entry, and a steal in the neutral zone.