Uden Johansson leads Bobcats to 3-0 win

Uden Johansson leads Bobcats to 3-0 win

By Marty Joseph, QBSN Staff Writer

The Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey team (15-9-2, 10-4-2 ECAC) defeated the Syracuse Orange (8-16-3, 0-3-3 CHA) 3-0 Friday night at High Point Solutions Arena at the TD Bank Sports Center in a non-conference match-up.

Erica Uden Johansson (Sundsvall, Sweden) carried the offense factoring in on all three of the Bobcats’ goals with a goal and two assists. Nicole Kosta (Mississauga, Ontario) and Kate Wheeler (Oakville, Ontario) each added goals in the third period to seal the win. Kelly Babstock (Mississauga, Ontario) and Breann Frykas (East St. Paul, Manitoba) also added assists and Chelsea Laden (Lakeville, Minn.) made 18 saves for the shutout.

The Bobcats dominated the puck in the first period, outshooting Syracuse 12-4 and controlling play in the offensive zone. Uden Johansson netted her fifth goal of the season with the assist coming from Frykas. Uden Johansson now has points in five of the last six games. The team went into the locker room with the 1-0 lead after the opening frame.

 “She’s really picked up where she left off from last season,” head coach Rick Seeley said of Uden Johansson’s recent play.  “Since coming back from injury, she has played really well for us and she is getting better and better every game. Two weeks ago, there were elements of her game she wanted to improve upon, and she did it in two weeks.”

The two teams skated in a scoreless second period and each put seven shots on goal. Both net-minders Laden and Jenesica Drinkwater made key saves in the period to keep the score 1-0.

Kosta extended the Bobcats' lead with her fourth goal of the season just over five minutes into the third period. Uden Johansson assisted on the play as she hit an open Kosta in the high slot before Kosta ripped a shot passed Drinkwater for the goal. Wheeler rounded up the scoring putting the Bobcats up 3-0 just over four minutes later with her fifth goal of the season assisted by Babstock and Uden Johansson. Babstock threw the puck towards the net and it deflected right onto the stick of Wheeler who quickly capitalized on the opportunity, putting a shot high glove side passed Drinkwater. The Bobcats outshot Syracuse 14-7 in the final frame.

The Bobcats are back in action tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. with the second game of the weekend series against Syracuse at High Point Solutions Arena.