Breaking bad, CHA style
No. 9 Mercyhurst versus Robert Morris is quickly developing into one of the best rivalries, fueled to a large extent by the success the Colonials have enjoyed against Paul Colontino’s old team since the former Mercyhurst assistant was named head coach at RMU.
On Friday, the Lakers managed to restore order atop the CHA pecking order and take a 2-0 victory. Amanda Makela saved all 31 shots and Emily Janiga and Jaclyn Arbour scored second-period goals.
Saturday’s game didn’t go as well for the visitors in general, or Makela in particular. She allowed first-period goals to Katie Fergus, Rebecca Vint, and Kelsey Gunn and was replaced by Julia DiTondo to start the second period. DiTondo stopped the eight shots she faced, but the damage had already been done. Jessica Dodds yielded goals to Kathy Donohue and Janiga, but she stopped the other 25 shots to earn the Colonials a 3-2 win and improve to 7-0-0 in her rookie season.
Extra-curricular activities broke out at the end of the game. The Lakers were assessed three major penalties, two game misconducts and a disqualification; the Colonials penalties included two majors, a game misconduct, and a disqualification. Pending any additional action by the league, those disqualified — Mercyhurst’s Christie Cicero and RMU’s Brittany Howard — will each be forced to sit out her team’s next game.
More post-buzzer beatings
There wasn’t a lot of action in the WCHA, with only four games and four teams taking to the ice. However, there was a lot of action in at least three of those games.
First and foremost, we had Bemidji State traveling to Ohio State. The Beavers claimed their first conference win, 3-2, by scoring three times in just over eight minutes in the second period. A short-handed goal by Tess Dusik while killing off a five-on-three power play sparked the rally. Stephanie Anderson scored four minutes later to give Bemidji State the lead, and Hanah Moher tallied on a power play to give the Beavers a 3-1 lead. Sarah Schmitt drew the Buckeyes within one in the third period, but they could not find an equalizer.
After the final buzzer, the two sides attempted to resolve a difference of opinion, and a skirmish ensued. When the referees had sorted it all out, nine Beavers and 10 Buckeyes were assessed fighting majors and game disqualifications, meaning they were not eligible to compete in Saturday’s rematch. With 158 minutes in penalties in the game on Ohio State and 145 on Bemidji State, they now rank No. 1 and No. 2 in penalty minutes per game. Only two teams have been penalized more over the course of the season than OSU was in Friday’s game, Bemidji State and Mercyhurst.
All of the DQs necessitated a couple of sparse line charts on Saturday; each team dressed 10 skaters. The Buckeyes were also without regular starting goaltender Chelsea Knapp, who was one of those tossed on Friday after getting the hook after the second Bemidji State goal. As luck would have it, the teams played to an overtime tie on Saturday, 2-2, meaning that the 10 available skaters for each side had to divide up 65 minutes of ice time. Whitney Wivoda of the Beavers was the only skater to have success in the shootout, so Bemidji State earned the extra league point. Despite outshooting the visitors, 52-29, on Saturday, the Buckeyes had to settle for a single league point on the weekend — and a whole lot of penalty minutes.
Streak reaches 61, with an asterisk or two
There was little out of the ordinary at St. Cloud State on Friday when Sarah Davis had a goal and an assist to lead No. 1 Minnesota to a 4-1 win over the Huskies. Saturday’s 4-3 win for the Gophers was far from routine. Abby Ness and Molli Mott scored first-period goals to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead. That is the first item of note, because it is the first time during the Gophers’ winning streak that they have trailed by more than one goal. After Davis scored twice in the middle frame to draw Minnesota even, Lauren Hespenheidi put the hosts back up 49 seconds into the third. That lead lasted until only 2:02 remained and Dani Cameranesi deflected in a shot to tie the game at 3-3. This is the second bit of trivia, being the latest in a game that the Gophers have trailed since commencing their winning ways. Milica McMillen produced the game-winner 53 seconds later.
Goal droughts
A couple of ranked teams from the ECAC had trouble finding the net.
No. 6 Clarkson got goals from Jessica Gillham, Genevieve Bannon, and an empty-net goal by Jamie Lee Rattray, combined with an Erica Howe shutout, to defeat Dartmouth, 3-0, on Friday. The next day, the Golden Knights were on the wrong end of the goose egg, falling to No. 8 Harvard, 2-0. Emerance Maschmeyer stopped all 36 shots and Mary Parker scored twice. It was a sweep for the Crimson, who had defeated St. Lawrence, 3-2, on Friday after jumping out to a quick three-goal lead.
No. 7 Quinnipiac also shot at a low percentage. The Bobcats upended Brown, 3-1, thanks to peppering Bears goalie Aubree Moore with 45 shots on Friday. Kelly Babstock, Emma Woods, and Amanda Colin hit twine. On Saturday, none of the Quinnipiac shots connected versus Yale. Jaimie Leonoff rejected all 44 offerings by the Bobcats. Quinnipiac salvaged a point because Chelsea Laden proved impenetrable as well on the other end, saving 27 shots sent her way by the Bulldogs. It was the second time this season that the Bobcats have played to a 0-0 draw.
How the rest of the top 10 fared
No. 3 Cornell stayed unbeaten, first defeating Rensselaer, 3-1, behind a pair of goals from Jillian Saulnier. She and her linemates, Jessica Campbell and Emily Fulton, all had four-point games in trouncing Union, 8-1.
Andie Anastos led the way with three points as No. 5 Boston College squashed Vermont, 6-1. Emily Field scored twice. The Eagles posted the same 6-1 score on Sunday in dropping Northeastern. Field and Dana Trivigno both had two goals and two helpers.
No. 10 Boston University had its second straight three-win week. The Terriers beat Connecticut, 6-2, before sweeping Maine, 5-1 and 4-2. The offensive highlight was freshman Maddie Elia’s six-point week, including two goals and two assists in the first game versus Maine.
No. 2 Wisconsin and No. 4 North Dakota were idle.
