Bobcats can't sweep series, fall 3-2

Bobcats can’t sweep series, fall 3-2

By Angelique Fiske, QBSN Web-Editor

In spite of outshooting Syracuse (9-16-3, 0-3-3 CHA) 55-23, the Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey team (15-10-2, 10-4-2 ECAC) lost the second game of the two-game series by a final score of 3-2.  While the score was tied 2-2 going into the final stretch of the game, Syracuse pulled away with the victory on the stick of Nicole Ferrara. 

After the Bobcats shut down the Orange offense completely Friday night, Syracuse put immediate pressure on the Quinnipiac defense scoring two goals in the first period causing head coach Rick Seeley to pull his veteran goaltender, junior Victoria Vigilanti (Woodbridge, Ontario) before the opening frame concluded.  Vigilanti was replaced by freshman Chelsea Laden (Lakeville, Minn.) after she posted her first career shut-out in Friday’s 3-0 victory. 

Syracuse netted both goals within the last seven minutes of the period. Margot Scharfe put the first goal in on a solo effort.  After taking an initial shot that was deflected by Vigilanti, Scharfe followed through and pushed the puck to the right corner.  The second Syracuse goal came three and a half minutes later off of the stick of Caitlin Roach.  Assists were credited to Lisa Mullan and Taylor Metcalfe.

Sandwiched a minute after Syracuse’s first goal and just over two minutes before its second, Breann Frykas (East St. Paul, Manitoba) notched a power play goal with the assist from Regan Boulton (Brandon, Manitoba) to, at the time, tie the game 1-1. 

Despite the quick start by Syracuse, the second period saw Quinnipiac regain its composure, tying the game 2-2.  Senior Melissa Perry (Chelsea, Michigan) took a shot that was deflected by Syracuse goaltender Kallie Billdeau.  Unfortunately for the Syracuse defense, junior Brittany Lyons (Canton, Mass.) was skating off the bench into perfect positioning for the rebound and knocked it in for her seventh of the year.  Captain Jordan Elkins (Wasilla, Ala.) was also credited a helper on the play.

About halfway through the third period, Ferrara and Holly Carrie-Mattimoe put the pressure on Laden when the two went two-against-one, drawing Laden out of the net.  Carrie-Mattimoe sent a pass to Ferrara who took no mercy, sending a laser behind Laden.  Scharfe skated away with her second point of the day, as she was also credited with the assist. 

Despite their efforts, the Bobcats failed in their search for an equalizer.  However, it was not the offensive efforts that proved to be the issue.

“Scoring doesn’t matter if you don’t pay attention to defense,” Seeley said. 

As the Bobcats head into a major ECAC run that could define their season, taking on six different conference opponents to close out the season, one of the most daunting problems is who will start between the pipes.

“I thought all three goals were pretty weak, so we have to figure out the goaltending situation.  We’ve got a real important conference stretch coming up,” Seeley said.  “I’d say at this point Laden’s won the starting job.”

Billadeau managed to put away 53 saves.  Vigilanti had three saves in her 17 minutes of action, and Laden had 17 stops of her own.

Quinnipiac begins this stretch when the head to Harvard and Dartmouth on Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 4 at 4 p.m. respectively.