(1) Wisconsin at Minnesota State
It was a smooth start to the period as both teams looked to find a chance, but couldn’t quite light the lamp. Wisconsin figured things out first, scoring twice in 1:17 in the final six minutes of the frame as Marianne Picard and Finley McCarthy scored to make it 2-0. Laren Zawoyski responded for the Mavericks, scoring before the break to make it 2-1 at the first intermission. Lacey Eden’s short-hander gave UW the 3-1 lead in the second and then Cassie Hall’s 100th career point came when she scored on the power play in the third to secure the 4-1 win. On Saturday, the Badgers’ top line struck twice to make it 2-0 midway through the first thanks to goals from Eden and Hall. Ava Guillemette pulled one back for MSU, but Claire Enright’s power play goal later in the frame made it 3-1 at the first break. Picard scored her second of the weekend in the second to extend the lead to 4-1 and McCarthy added an insurance goal in the third to secure the win and weekend sweep for UW.
(3) Minnesota at (2) Ohio State
The Buckeyes made Minnesota pay for their mistakes on Friday, scoring on three of four power plays, which put them up 3-0 by the end of the second. Maxine Cimoroni, Kaia Malachino and Jocelyn Amos each scored on the advantage. Emma Peschel added a goal in the final minute of the second to push the lead to 4-0. Minnesota pushed back in the third as Bella Fanale scored 2:30 into the frame, but OSU’s defense stood strong. Ava Lindsay cut the lead to 4-2 with under three to play, but the clock ran out before the Gophers could pull any closer. In the second game, Chloe Primarano put Minnesota up 1-0 on the power play, but OSU responded less than three minutes later as Grace McCoshen scored her first career goal to tie the game 1-1. Cimoroni put the Buckeyes up 2-1 later in the second. The teams went to the locker rooms at the second break, but a challenge by Ohio State for contact to the head gave the Gophers a major penalty and game misconduct, so the teams came back out and replayed the final 1:04 of the 2nd. Sloane Matthews capitalized on that power play and that’s all OSU would need to take a 3-1 win and weekend sweep.
RPI at (4) Penn State
PSU outshot RIT RIT 36-28 overall and 801 in the first, but the game was 0-0 at the break. Things picked up in the second as Maddy Christian scored for Penn State early. But RIT tied things up a few minutes later on a goal from Madison Buziak. Ireland Stein poked in a loose puck on the power play to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead midway through the second. Katelyn Roberts scored in the final minute of the second to tie the game for PSU. The teams could not find an answer in the third. In overtime, Cassandra Barnes won the game for RIT with a wrister from the far faceoff circle to give the Tigers a 3-2 win. On Saturday, Penn State came out firing early. Abby Stonehouse put back a rebound to make it 1-0 before the midpoint. Two minutes later Grace Outwater tipped in a shot from Sophie Morrow to extend the lead to 2-0. Stein responded for RIT as she scored twice in the second to tie the game 2-2 thanks to a breakaway and power play goal. Kendall Butze made RIT pay for a turnover in the zone, quickly scoring in the final two minutes of the second to make it 3-2. In the third, Christian put back a rebound to secure the 4-2 win.
(5) Northeastern at Boston University
Allie Lalonde and Mia Langlois scored late in the first to give NU a 2-0 lead at the first break. BU responded early in the second as Clara Yuhn scored unassisted to cut the lead to 2-1. Jules Constantinople scored in the third to push the lead to 3-1, but the Terriers replied just 22 seconds later to make it a 3-2 game thanks to Anežka Čabelová. But Stryker Zablocki’s empty-netter secured a 4-2 win for the Huskies.
Boston College at (5) Northeastern
The two teams fought a defensive battle on Sunday. Boston College had 20 blocks and Grace Campbell made 38 saves to keep the Huskies off the board. They held NU off the board through five power plays. Lisa Jönsson made 31 saves for Northeastern. A slashing penalty in the extra frame proved to be the difference-maker as Ava Thomas buried the puck to give the Eagles the 1-0 win.
(6) Connecticut at New Hampshire
The Huskies secured the No. 2 seed in the Hockey East Tournament with a 5-1 win on Friday. Sadie Hotles scored twice while Ashley Allard, Livvy Dewar and Megan Woodworth each scored once for the Huskies in the win. Danika Botterrill was the goal-scorer for UNH in the loss.
(6) Connecticut at Boston University
UConn outshot Boston University 36–11 but had just a 1-0 lead late thanks to a goal from Emma Eryou. BU pulled their goalie with more than three minutes left, but Christina Walker’s empty-netter secured the 2-0 win.
Brown at (7) Quinnipiac
The Bobcats clinched an ECAC opening-round bye with a 5-2 win over the Bears on Friday. Aynsley D’Ottavio scored twice in the first after a goal from Taylor Brueske to give QU a 3-0 lead at just 6:06 of the first. Jade Iginla pulled one back for Brown to make it 3-1 at the first break. Monique Lyons’ power play late in the second made it a 3-2 game. Zoe Uens’ goal through traffic in the third gave the Bobcats some breathing room and then Kahlen LaMarche potted an empty-netter to secure the 5-2 win.
(9) Yale at (7) Quinnipiac
QU earned their highest regular season finish in years with an overtime win on Saturday. Yale took an early lead thanks to goals a minute apart from Gracie Gilkyson and Stephanie Stainton. Peyton Cormier put the Bobcats on the board in the second to make it 2-1. Molly Boyle’s goal midway through the third had Yale up 3-1, but Quinnipiac wasn’t done. Pulling the goalie with three minutes left, Kahlen LaMarche scored with 1:02 left in regulation to make it 3-2 and then Aynsley D’Ottavio scored her third of the weekend – this one with just 24.6 seconds left on the clock – tied the game and forced overtime. In the extra frame, Lamarche scored on the breakaway to secure the 4-3, come from behind win for Quinnipiac.
(9) Yale at (8) Princeton
The Bulldogs won their 14th straight game on Saturday as Jordan Ray and Mariya Rauf led the team to a 2-0 win.
Brown at (8) Princeton
Rosie Klein’s goal in the final minutes of the first was the only tally for more than 20 minutes. Then things broke open in the third. Jade Iginla scored just 1:48 into the third to tie the game 1-1. Issy Wunder’s strong shot found twine eight minutes into the frame to make it 2-1. India McDadi tied the game and forced overtime with a goal with just 90 seconds left in regulation. In the extra frame, Wunder took off on an early breakoff to end the game. Princeton earned the ECAC Hockey regular season conference championship for the first time in program history, sharing the title with Yale.
St. Thomas at (10) Minnesota Duluth
UMD scored a power play, shorthanded and empty net goal on Friday to take a 3-0 win. Mary Kate O’Brien had the extra attacker goal, Caitlin Kraemer had the shortie and Madi Burr hit the empty net to secure the victory. On Saturday, Molly Cole scored at even strength, Josie St. Martin scored on the power play and Zoey Crock added an empty-netter to secure the weekend sweep.
(11) Cornell at St. Lawrence
Cornell earned their spot atop the Ivy League with their win on Friday. The Big Red opened with goals from Riley Scorgie, Alyssa Regalado and Mckenna Van Gelder to put Cornell up 3-0 in the first. Kennedy Wilson pulled one back for St. Lawrence to make it 3-1 at the first break. Alexia Côté scored twice in the final three minutes of regulation to tie the game and force overtime, but Grace Dwyer’s breakaway in OT ended things to give Cornell the 4-3 win and the Ivy League championship.
(11) Cornell at (12) Clarkson
After a back and forth opening frame where each team had 10 shots, Karel Prefontaine opened up the scoring with a one-timer on the power play to give Cornell the 1-0 lead. Lara Beecher tied the game for Clarkson with 11.5 seconds left in the second to send the teams to the locker room tied 1-1. Delaney Fleming’s goal five minutes into the third proved to be the difference-maker, giving Cornell the 2-1 win.
Syracuse at (13) Mercyhurst
Rylee McLeod took off from the opening faceoff and scored to make it 1-0 Syracuse early in the game. Holly VanNetten tied things up for Mercyhurst before the end of the first. Berlin Lolacher scored 2:30 into the third to put the Lakers up 2-1, but Syracuse replied with Jackson Kinsler’s goal late in regulation and forced overtime. Both teams hit the post during the overtime frame, but couldn’t light the lamp. The game ended a tie and Syracuse took an extra point by winning the shootout. On Saturday, the Lakers came pushing back. Jade Maisonneuve scored twice while Sofia Ljung, Maja Alenius, Sophie McKinley, VanNetten and Payten Evans each scored once to give Mercyhurst the 7-0 win.
(14) Holy Cross at Merrimack
Avery Anderson scored in the waning seconds of the first to put Merrimack up 1-0. Alexia Moreau tied it for Holy Cross at the midpoint of the game. Neither team could find an equalizer, even through overtime. The game ended a tie, but Merrimack took the extra point as Maria Lindberg and McKenzie Cerrato scored in the shootout while goaltender Adreanna Doucette made two saves.
(14) Holy Cross at Providence
Julia Pellerin scored on the power play in the first to give Providence the 1-0 lead and then Reichen Kirchmair lit the lamp 10 seconds into the second to make it a 2-0 game. Anna Billa cut into the lead for Holy Cross, scoring on the power play in the second to make it 2-1. Pellerin restored the two-goal lead later in the third and to make it 3-1. That was an important goal as it rendered Billa’s power play goal with 14.6 left in regulation moot, allowing Providence to the the 3-2 win.
(15) Colgate at (12) Clarkson
The teams traded goals early on in this game before things got fast and furious to close out it. Morgan Walton put Clarkson up 1-0 late in the first, but Chloe Goofers scored in the final minute of the frame to tie the game 1-1. Sena Catterall scored early in the second to give Clarkson the 2-1 lead. Madeline Palumbo responded just two minutes later to tie things 2-2. Emma Pais’ short-hander with about five to play gave the Raiders their first lead of the game. Catterall scored her second of the game to tie it 3-3 with 49.4 left in regulation. In the extra frame, Kate Manness picked up a puck on the boards and pushed into the slot where she scored to win the game for Clarkson 4-3.
(15) Colgate at St. Lawrence
St. Lawrence pushed out to a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Kennedy Wilson and Rylan Haslam. But Alexis Petford scored on the power play in the final minute of the first to make it a 2-1 game. She scored a second on the player advantage just five minutes into the second to tie things up. Emma Pais gave Colgate the 3-2 lead a few minutes later and Elyssa Biederman’s empty-netter sealed the 4-2 win.