Third period dramatics not enough for Bobcats

Third period dramatics not enough for Bobcats

By Angelique Fiske, QBSN Web-Editor

All eyes in the High Point Solutions Arena at the TD Bank Sports Center remained on the tunnel as the clock was stopped with three seconds left in the final period of Saturday’s women’s hockey game against ECAC opponent Clarkson.  The Clarkson bench began to cheer as a referee emerged signaling no goal and killing the Bobcats’ hopes of a comeback, leaving the score at 3-2. 

The play that led to the third period dramatics involved a pressing offensive force against the sprawled out Knight goalie, Erica Howe who came up with the game salvaging save.  The loss makes for Quinnipiac’s fifth consecutive (15-15-2, 10-9-2 ECAC), while Clarkson (21-7-5, 15-4-2 ECAC) extends its win-streak to six games.

Clarkson never sacrificed its lead, silencing Quinnipiac as it scored three consecutive goals. The Knights wasted no time putting offensive pressure on the Bobcats, resulting in two goals in the first frame. Juana Baribeau hit a shot from pointblank-range past Bobcat keeper Chelsea Laden (Lakeville, Minn.) into the bottom right corner of the net halfway through the opening period.  Brittany Styner, who assisted the first Knight goal, landed her second point of the period when she put one by Laden six minutes later with help from Hailey Wood.

Momentum carried in to the beginning of the second period for Clarkson when Jamie Lee Rattray took the puck down the ice and shot it right between Laden’s legs for the third Knight goal of the day. 

“To beat a team like that any time, you can’t make those kind of mistakes,” head coach Rick Seeley said of Clarkson.

The Bobcats remained shut down until seven minutes into the second period when they utilized their fourth power play of the game. Sophomore Erica Uden Johansson (Sundsvall, Sweden) continued her post-break hot streak with her seventh goal of the year.  Uden Johansson, Nicole Kosta (Mississauga, Ontario) and Regan Boulton (Brandon, Manitoba) positioned themselves outside of a clustered group of defenders, passing the puck like a game of monkey-in-the-middle when Uden Johansson shot from the faceoff circle to the near post. 

In eerily similar fashion, Kate Wheeler (Oakville, Ontario) earned her seventh goal of the season with the helper from Kelly Babstock (Mississauga, Ontario) as the clock winded downwards from three minutes.  While the goal itself was not during a power play, the offensive pressure of the previous man advantage set Wheeler up for the score. 

“The kill was great against a very good power play,” said Seeley.  “Our power play has been looking better and better every week.”   

In addition to the power play goal and the set up from the player-advantage, the Bobcats managed to kill a five-on-three situation in the final frame.

“To kill of five-on-three against anyone is pretty impressive, and I think we did it with a lot of confidence,” Seeley said.

Aside from the special teams, Seeley did acknowledge the defensive challenges the Knights presented.

“I thought they did a great job of getting back and pressuring the puck, so I give them a lot of credit,” Seeley said.

As the regular season winds down and only two games remain, both ECAC opponents in Union and Rensselaer on Feb. 17 and 18 respectively, the Bobcats must prepare for the possibility of seeing this strong Clarkson defense again.