Power-Play Goal in Third Propels Princeton Past Yale

Photo by Sam Rubin

Boxscore

PRINCETON, N.J. -- Defenseman Katherine Dineen's power-play goal at 8:06 of the third period, her second of the game, was the difference Friday night as Princeton edged Yale 3-2 at Baker Rink. Sophomore forward Bray Ketchum and senior defenseman Helen Resor scored Yale's goals, while freshman goalie Genny Ladiges made 23 saves.

Yale (8-13-0, 4-10-0 ECAC Hockey) controlled play for much of the first five minutes, but the Tigers made their first shot on goal count as Dineen's shot eluded Ladiges at 5:11.

Yale then had to kill off the only penalty of the period 46 seconds after that goal. The Tigers kept the puck in the Yale zone for nearly the entire two minutes but could not generate any Grade-A chances. Freshman forward Aleca Hughes helped bring the penalty kill to an end by controlling the puck and lofting it down to the other end of the ice for a clear.

Forechecking by senior forwards Danielle Kozlowski and Kristen Stupay led to the game-tying goal for the Bulldogs. The Tigers were unable to get the puck out of their own zone, and Kozlowski eventually took control of it low in the left circle. She skated in on Tigers goalie Kristen Young before flipping the puck to sophomore forward Bray Ketchum, who was open on the far post and knocked it in at 9:20.

Princeton (13-8-1, 10-5-0 ECAC Hockey) went back ahead four minutes later on a goal from defenseman Laura Martindale. Ladiges kept the lead from getting any bigger by denying forward Annie Greenwood with three minutes left in the period after a Yale turnover gave Greenwood a chance to skate right to the doorstep.

For the second time in a week, a Bulldog defenseman scored from long distance while attempting to just put the puck on net. After freshman Heather Grant pulled off the feat last Friday in a 3-1 win over Cornell, senior defenseman Helen Resor matched it eight seconds into the second period at Princeton. Resor got the puck in the neutral zone after the opening faceoff and sent a high shot in on Young, who got a piece of it with her glove only to have it flutter past her and into the net to tie the game at two.

The Yale penalty killing unit had a busy -- and successful -- second period. The first Bulldogs penalty came at 1:21, and Stupay's block of a hard slap shot highlighted that kill. After another whistle against Yale at 9:22, Grant started the kill off right by stealing the puck deep in the Yale zone and clearing it. Ladiges also had a pair of big pad stops when Greenwood attempted to stuff the puck in after a wide shot caromed off the boards right to her just to the side of the net.

The only two penalties on the Tigers in the period came within 55 seconds of each other, so Yale had a 5-on-3 at the 14:35 mark. The Bulldogs' best chance came when an attempted Princeton clear hit a Tiger player in front of the net and Kozlowski picked up the puck, but Young stopped her shot and also turned aside a hard slap shot from Resor as Yale's power play ended.

The Bulldogs had to kill off one more penalty to keep the score tied at two heading into the second intermission, and Ladiges came through with a pair of quick kick saves.

Yale almost converted a 2-on-1 two minutes into the third period, but senior forward Maggie Westfal sent a crossing pass from senior forward Crysti Howser wide. Three minutes later Kozlowski battled hard for the puck behind the Princeton net and was eventually able to get it up top to junior defenseman Alyssa Clarke for a slap shot, but Young gloved that one.

The game turned on a Yale penalty with 13:53 to play. Ladiges made a stick save on a slap shot by Martindale, but with only one second left on the penalty kill Dineen's shot slipped past her.

Kozlowski drew a penalty on the Tigers with just over three minutes to play, but after Resor had a slap shot blocked early in the power play the Bulldogs struggled to get set up on offense. Kozlowski deflected a shot wide with less than two minutes to play, and Yale pulled Ladiges for an extra attacker in the final 75 seconds. Clarke had to stop a chance for Princeton by blocking a shot with her skate. Yale's final chances were a pair of Resor slap shots, one that Young gloved with eight seconds left and one that went wide right before time expired.

Yale plays at Quinnipiac Saturday at 4:00 p.m.