The Maine women’s ice hockey team opened their regular season on Friday night and Saturday afternoon at M&T Bank Arena in Hamden, Connecticut against nationally ranked #10 Quinnipiac.
On Friday night- Alex Law scored a game winning goal with a little less than five minutes left in the second period, lifting Quinnipiac to a 3-2 win. The Bobcats struck twice in the first 8:43 of the opening period on goals by Bryn Prier and Ella Sennick. Maine battled back though, as Haley Ryan scored the first goal of the season for the Black Bears at 2:59 of the second period assisted by Kendall Sundby and Lila Shea. They would tie it when Gracie Hanson found the back of the net for her second career goal at 13:23, with Sundby picking up a second assist and Raegan Wurm also providing a helper. QU then got the winner by Law just 1:48 after the tying marker by Hanson. Kiia Lahtinen made 30 saves in net in the loss, and Maine went 0-2 on the powerplay. Felicia Frank stopped 17 shots for the Bobcats, and Quinnipiac went 0-7 on their powerplay chances.
On Saturday afternoon- Maine battled tough once again, taking a 3-2 lead into the third period but Quinnipiac battled back to tie it and then won it in overtime 4-3 to sweep the series. Freshman MacKenzie Podewell (first collegiate goal) and Mikayla Boarder both scored in the first period for the Black Bears, sandwiched around a Bobcats goal for a 2-1 lead. After Makayla Watson tied it for QU at 6:19 of the second, freshman Isabelle Michaud restored the Maine lead with her first collegiate tally at 10:02. The hosts tied it on a goal from Tessa Holk at the 7:59 mark of the third period. Jade Barbirati was the hero with the game winner at 2:44 of overtime. Lahtinen was solid again in net in the loss in making 38 saves. Calli Hogarth (eight saves) played the first period for Quinnipiac, while Frank (nine saves) played the final 42:44 to pick up the win in between the pipes.
Maine travels to Madison, Wisconsin to battle the powerhouse Wisconsin Badgers for a two game series next weekend.
Photos courtesy of UMaine Athletics
