NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Providence College women's ice hockey team traveled to New Haven, Conn. to take on the Yale Bulldogs on Saturday, Jan. 5. The Friars defeated Yale, 3-2, in overtime. The win moves the Friars overall record to 9-9-4 and their road record to 3-6-2 on the season.
Yale was first on the board with goal at 18:08 of the first period. Junior goaltender Nina Riley (Lexington, Mass.) made the initial save on a shot taken by Tara Tomimoto. The puck bounced high off Riley before Patricia McGauley knocked it down and put it in off the backstop to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.
Providence tied the game up with a power-play goal 5:07 into the second period. Sophomore Beth Hanrahan (Poolesville, Md.) fired one on net that was saved by Bulldog goaltender Jaimie Leonoff. Classmate Haley Frade (Marion, Mass.) found the rebound for the Friars and fired a second shot on net that Leonoff saved before freshman Molly Illikainen (Grand Rapids, Minn.) slammed home the puck from the slot. Illikainen tallied her eighth goal of the season on the play, while Frade and Hanrahan notched their eighth and second assist of season, respectively.
The Friars continued their strong play throughout the second period, adding on a goal with 2:43 remaining in the period. Junior Corinne Buie (Edina, Minn.) tallied her seventh goal of the season to give the Friars a 2-1 advantage heading into the third period. Buie fired a shot low five hole after receiving a break out pass from classmate Maggie Pendleton (Woodbury, Minn.). Sophomore Brooke Simpson (Boxboro, Mass.) also assisted on the play to tally her 10th assist on the season.
With 4:01 left in the third period the Bulldogs tied the game at two apiece with a power-play goal. Tomimoto took a shot from the point that was deflected in by Janelle Ferrara on the backdoor.
At the end of three periods of hockey the score was tied at 2-2. The Friars headed into overtime outshooting the Bulldogs 44-21.
With 17 seconds remaining in overtime the Friars pulled out the win with a goal from Hanrahan. Freshman Lexi Slattery (Lino Lakes, Minn.) tipped the puck to senior Nicole Anderson (Jordan, Minn.), who entered the offensive zone and placed a shot on net that came bouncing back out. Hanrahan crashed the net hard and placed the rebound past Leonoff glove side. Hanrahan notched her eighth goal of the season, while Anderson extended her point streak to four games.
The Friars outshot Yale, 50-22. Riley earned her second win of the season with 20 saves.
The Friars are back in action on Jan. 11 and 12 when they take on RPI in a two game road series. The Friars will face the Engineers at the Houston Field House in Albany, N.Y. The series will mark the last non-conference games for the Friars before wrapping up their regular season with 10 regular season home games.