Weekend Wrap: December 2

Abbie Ives  (Quinnipiac - 35). ((c) Shelley M. Szwast 2016)
Abbie Ives stopped 76 shots this weekend to lead her team to a Nutmeg Classic title. (Photo: Shelley M. Szwast)

(1) Minnesota vs (6) Boston College

Delaney Belinskas scored a short-handed goal – her third of the season – near the end of the first to put Boston College up 1-0. Minnesota responded less than a minute later with a goal from Taylor Wente to tie the game at one. Boston College dominated the second period and finally capitalized with a second short-handed goal near the end of the second to take the lead. Kelly Browne showcased her speed and went bar down to make it 2-1 BC. The Gophers dominated the third, out-shooting BC 15-1. Alexie Guay took two penalties in the third period, putting BC as a defensive disadvantage and the team looked visibly tired. The Gophers were able to take advantage and scored just as a penalty expired, as Grace Zumwinkle tipped in a puck that Maddy McArthur was unable to cover up. McArthur finished with 41 saves. The game goes down as a 2-2 tie, but the teams agreed to sudden-death penalty shots, where Hannah Bilka “won” it for the Eagles.

(2) Wisconsin vs (9) Harvard

The Badgers out-shot Harvard 57-15, but took a bit of the game to build up momentum and find the back of the net. Crimson goalie gave the Badgers difficulty in a two-game series last season and they once again needed patience to find their opportunities to beat the 6’0’ netminder. Presley Norby scored midway through the second and to open the third to put Wisconsin up 2-0. Harvard cut the lead on a goal from Kristin Della Rovere, but the Badgers found their groove as the third period progressed. Daryl Watts, Brette Pettet and Alexis Mauermann all scored in the final 10 minutes to help Wisconsin pull away and give them the 5-1 win.

(1) Minnesota vs (9) Harvard

Sarah Potomak opened the scoring with a redirect past Lindsay Reed. Alex Woken doubled the lead in the second period and Abigail Boreen’s third period goal was her first of the season. Potomak added an empty-net goal to ice the 4-0 win. Reed made 39 saves in the loss.

(2) Wisconsin vs (6) Boston College

The Badgers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period thanks to goals from Sophie Shirley, Britta Curl and Abby Roque. Shirley got the credit on a shot that was deflected in front of the net and ended up behind Lindsay Reed. Curl’s goal was a spectacular individual effort where she gloved the puck out of the air in the neutral zone and took it in to beat Reed on the short side. Roque blasted a shot on the power play for the third goal in the first. But Boston College were not out of this game. In the second, Savannah Norcross tapped in a pass from Hannah Bilka and then Caroline DiFiore made a great play on the defensive end and then took off for a breakaway to beat Kristin Campbell. In the third, Delaney Drake also beat Reed on a tight angle from the short side to increase the lead to 4-2, but BC responded again with a power play goal from Cayla Barnes. The Eagles had a number of chances in the final minutes, but Daryl Watts’ scored an empty-netter on a great steal and feed from Shirley to secure the 5-3 win for Wisconsin.

(3) Cornell at (7) Ohio State

Kristin O’Neill scored midway through the second to give Cornell the 1-0 lead, but from there it was all Ohio State. Emma Maltais netted two goals before the second period was through and Madison Bizal added a third midway through the final frame to earn the 3-1 win for the Buckeyes on Friday. In game two, despite being out-shot 49-23, Cornell took control of the game early and never looked back en route to a 5-1 win. Paige Lewis redirected a shot right in front of the net less than three minutes into the game to set the tone for the Big Red. Ohio State responded on the power play with a goal from Liz Schepers midway through the first period. But that’s as close as the Buckeyes would get. Maddie Mills responded with a power play tally on her own less than a minute later and Finley Frechette scored on an assist from her sister Gillis before the end of the second period to make it 3-1 Cornell. Mills added a second with a player advantage and then Kristin O’Neill assured the win with an empty-net goal to make it a 5-1 Cornell win.

Holy Cross at (4) Northeastern

Chloe Aurard had three goals and two assists while Katy Knoll added a goal and four assists to lead Northeastern to an 11-0 win over Holy Cross on Friday. It was Northeastern’s largest shutout victory in the NCAA era. The teams will play again on Wednesday.

Windjammer Classic

Minnesota State vs (5) Clarkson

Clarkson cruised through their first game of the Windjammer Tournament with a 4-0 win over the Mavericks. Elizabeth Giguere scored twice while Taylor Sawka and Brooke McQuigge each added a goal in the win.

Vermont vs Penn State

It took the Nittany Lions a little while to get going, but a goal by Katie Rankin midway through the third was ultimately the game-winner. Julie Gough scored once and Abby Welch scored twice in the third to ensure the win. Mallory Uiehlein’s three assists tied a program single-game record as Penn State won 4-0 and advanced to the finals of the Windjammer Classic.

Clarkson vs Penn State

Elizabeth Giguere scored five minutes into the first to give Clarkson a 1-0 lead that they took into the first period break. Kayla Friesen doubled the lead late in the second, but Penn State did not go quietly. Mallory Uiehlein scored on the power play and the Nittany Lions kept up the pressure, but Kristy Pidgeon’s empty-net goal ensured a 3-0 win and Windjammer Classic title for the Golden Knights.

Minnesota State vs Vermont

The Maverick penalty kill was tested, but did not allow a goal. Freshman Calla Frank earned her second career shutout and goals from Anna Wilgren and Claire Butorac ensured a third-place finish for Minnesota State in the Windjammer Classic.

Nutmeg Classic

(10) Minnesota Duluth vs Quinnipiac

Senior netminder Abbie Ives made a career-high 42 saves and Lexie Adzija had two goals and an assist to lead Quinnipiac over Minnesota Duluth in the opening round of the tournament. Adzija put the Bobcats up 1-0 midway through the first, but Minnesota Duluth responded less than three minutes later with a goal from Jaelyn Elmes to make it 1-1. Renee Saltness and Sarah Coutu-Godbout extended the lead to 3-1 in the second period and Adzija made it 4-1 late in the third. The Bulldogs got one back on a power play goal from Ashton Bell to make it 4-2, but they could not complete a comeback, despite outshooting the Bobcats 44-21.

Yale vs Connecticut

This game looked to be all Connecticut as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead before four minutes had passed thanks to goals from Taylor Wabick and Natalie Snodgrass. But Yale responded in a big way, reeling off six unanswered goals to earn a 6-2 win. The Bulldogs advance to take on Quinnipiac in the finals of the Nutmeg Classic. Charlotte Welch had two goals and an assist, Claire Dalton had a goal and two assists and Greta Skarzynski had two goals to lead Yale in the win.

Quinnipiac vs Yale

The Bobcacts won their own tournament with a 3-1 win over Yale. Goalie Abbie Ives stopped 76 of 79 shots faced over the weekend and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Yale scored the only goal of the first period as Grace Lee found the back of the net midway through the period. In the second, Sarah Coutu-Godbout scored to tie the game and then Brooke Bonsteel scored twice to give Quinnipiac the win and tournament title.

(10) Minnesota Duluth vs Connecticut

Connecticut had a 1-0 lead after the first period thanks to a goal from Savannah Bouzide, but Minnesota Duluth took control of the game from there. Ashton Bell and Sydney Brodt scored in the second and Brodt added another goal early in the third period to make it 3-1 Bulldogs. Kailee Skinner and Kylie Hanley also scored in the final frame to give UMD the 5-1 win.