Rally Not Enough as Bulldogs Fall at Providence

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Yale women’s ice hockey team had its best offensive game of the season, rallying from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game vs. Providence 3-3 early in the second period Tuesday night at Schneider Arena. But the Friars responded with six straight goals and went on to down the Bulldogs 9-3.

Providence (2-6-2) got the scoring started at 3:24, with forward Ashley Cottrell jamming one past Yale freshman net minder Jaimie Leonoff. The Bulldogs responded immediately, with junior forward Danielle Moncion scoring off assists from freshman forward Stephanie Mock and sophomore forward Jenna Ciotti at 5:13.

The 1-1 tie lasted all of 37 seconds, as Providence forward Kate Bacon knocked in a pass from the right wing to put the Friars back on top. When Providence scored again (forward Beth Hanrahan) 70 seconds after that, senior goalie Genny Ladiges came on in relief of Leonoff.

The Friars just missed out on a 4-1 lead when defenseman Maggie Pendleton’s blast from the blue line hit the post. Providence goalie Nina Riley then stopped a slap shot by junior forward/defenseman Alyssa Zupon and a wrister from freshman forward Jackie Raines in the next two minutes before a Friars penalty gave Yale the chance to creep closer. Raines’ power play goal at 14:53, assisted by senior forward Aleca Hughes, brought Yale within 3-2.

The Bulldogs killed off a penalty late in the first, getting blocks from Ciotti and Zupon, and went into the first intermission down a goal. They tied the game 2:04 into the second. After senior forward Lauren Davis took a faceoff in the right circle in the Providence zone, she got the puck to junior forward Jen Matichuk down low. Matichuk slid the puck across the goal mouth, and sophomore forward Ashley Dunbar was all alone at the far post to knock it in.

Once again, though, the Friars responded quickly to a Yale goal. Forward Corinne Buie’s tally at 6:50 started a run of three straight goals in the second period for the Friars, as Bacon scored again on a power play and defenseman Christie Jensen added one to make it 6-3 heading into the second intermission.

Yale (0-5-0) then had a chance to get back within two goals, but a shot by Hughes hit the post four minutes into the third. After that, Friars forward Laura Veharanta added a pair of goals, including a short-hander, to make it 8-3. Buie scored again with 4:21 to play for Providence’s ninth goal.

The three-goal total represents a season high for the Bulldogs, and their shot total (26) was the second-most they have had in a game. Ladiges finished with 30 saves, while Leonoff made four.

Yale returns to ECAC Hockey play with a game at Quinnipiac Friday night at 7 p.m.