Quinnipiac Keeps Rolling

In another matchup between top 15 ranked teams this Saturday, the Quinnipiac Bobcats welcomed in the Cornell Big Red to a late matinee at the M&T Bank Arena. The Bobcats were a perfect 5-0-0 coming into this one as they’ve been going like gangbusters since returning from the Emerald Isle. Cornell hasn’t had it as good since the calendar flipped, going 3-2-1 to start the second half of the campaign. The teams continued on their respective trajectories as Quinnipiac hung 4 on Cornell and skated away with a 4-0 shutout.

In net for Cornell was, who else but Annelies Bergmann, boasting a 1.96GAA and a .927%SV while going 13-8-2 while starting every game of the season for Cornell thus far. At the other end of the sheet it was Felicia Frank manning the pipes for the Bobcats. Frank hasn’t started every game this year for Quinnipiac, but she’s finished them all, as she came in relief in her only non-start. Frank is rocking a 1.30GAA with an outstanding .946%SV.

The scoring opened up late in the first when Bryn Prier scored the game-winner with about 3 minutes to go in the period. Quinnipiac was tilting the ice towards Bergmann’s net throughout the period before Prier finally broke through. Avery Bairos committed grand larceny on the forecheck when she stripped a Cornell defender clean down the left wing. Bairos tried twice to center the puck and her 2nd bid found home as Prier was set up by the left post to tuck it for the first of the night.

Just 24 seconds later, the Bobcats doubled up the score when Laurence Frenette notched her 5th of the season. Taylor Brueske dug the puck out of the RW corner and found Kahlen Lamarche in the high slot. Every single person in the rink and watching from home thought Lamarche was shooting, but she instead laid the puck to Frenette at the left post. Bergmann was down in her splits and had no chance. 2-0 Bobcats.

Just past midway of the middle frame, Prier got another. This time short-handed. I cannot confirm this at the NCAA level, but at the beer league level (defending North American Champion here, not a big deal), there’s nothing better than tucking home a shorty.

Emerson Jarvis corralled the puck on the LW side in the Cornell zone and dragged the puck back between her legs looking to kill some clock when she spied Mia Lopata all alone at the right point. Jarvis laid the puck across to Lopata and she wasted no time putting it on Bergmann. Prier crashed the net and tucked home the rebound with 3 Cornell defenders around her. Unfortunately the clip below doesn’t show off Jarvis’ silky mitts.

The score held through the end of the period (despite Cornell’s coming soooo close as the clock wound down), and the question began to circulate of when Lamarche was going to catch Kelly Babstock‘s single season goal record. I digress, but every chance I get to mention Babstock I will as she continues to be my dream guest on the pod.

Babs if you read this please come on the podcast.

So Lamarche had already preserved her point streak with the apple on Frenette’s goal; but I think everyone watching that wasn’t in Big Red gear wanted to see her get the Geno. It took nearly 58mins of game play, but Cornell obliged by pulling Bergmann late in the third.

With just about 2mins to play, Lamarche joined Babstock in the history books. Ella Sennick picked up a Cornell shot in front of Frank and skated about 6 strides to almost her blue line before feeding Lamarche in the neutral zone. Lamarche sighted the net and buried it from the red line for her 30th of the season. I could find no video, so don’t rat me out for recording my home feed.

And Lamarche if you see this: You have had a standing invite to come on the podcast for the last 3 seasons.

Up next Cornell has the next 2 weekends at home when they welcome in Dartmouth, Harvard, RPI and Union while Quinnipiac hits the road for tilts vs. Clarkson and St. Lawrence before heading to New England for Harvard (see. you at that one) and Dartmouth.

Lastly, great to see both teams get involved with the DIFD night. There are things more important than hockey that we can all support.

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