No. 8 Tigers Fall in 3OT to No. 10 Quinnipiac in Game 1 of ECACs

Friday, February 24

3:00 PM

Princeton University

18-9-3

Quinnipiac

21-8-6

OT 1

OT 2

OT 3

Quinnipiac

Princeton

Photo by: Princeton Athletic Communications

No. 8 Tigers Fall in 3OT to No. 10 Quinnipiac in Game 1 of ECACs

February 24, 2017 | Women's Ice Hockey

Box Score

The crowd started to build as word started to spread that No. 8 Princeton and No. 10 Quinnipiac were in a rare third overtime. The men's teams from both Princeton and Brown stood in their respective corners watching to see how this game, one that would that would push their own start time back, would result.

Quinnipiac's Kate MacKenzie played the spoiler with the game-winning goal at 6:34 of the third overtime on a 3-on-2 situation. Melissa Samoskevich grabbed a loose puck that was tossed into center ice after a fight for it along the boards. She picked it up and skated down towards the top of the left circle before slotting the puck for MacKenzie who beat Steph Neatby low on the Bobcats' 63 shot of the game.

It was the longest game in Princeton hockey history – for either men or women – lasting 106:34. It surpassed the previous longest game of 96 minutes when the Princeton women lost a 2-1 double overtime game to Rensselaer in the playoffs in 2009.

Freshman Neatby set a program record for most saves in a game with 60, while Quinnipiac's Sydney Rossman was stellar as well with a career high of 59 for the Bobcats. Neatby's 60 saves replaces a more than 20+ year record, which was recorded by Susan Gouchoe on Nov. 29, 1985 when she stopped 58 versus New Hampshire. She finished just one behind the all-time Princeton record, for either a men's or women's goalie, for saves in a game. That record is 61 held by Walter McDonough set in 1984 against Rensselaer.

"We've been preparing all year for a series like this," associate head coach Cara Morey said post game regarding the length of game and how it will impact tomorrow's performance. "They've been through a lot of training and they are ready for this kind of series. Tonight we played great, it was just the puck bounced the wrong way – but that's why we're playing two more games."

Princeton (18-9-3) took a 2-0 lead in the second period, but things took a turn when the Quinnipiac (21-8-6) scored twice within 49 seconds early in the third.

Sophomore Karlie Lund set up linemate Carly Bullock with a perfect pass across the slot for the opening goal at 4:44. Lund got the puck off the boards, slid it across the ice between defenders and Bullock put it between Rossman and the right pipe.

Senior defender Kelsey Koelzer showed why she is a Patty Kazmaier candidate when she single-handedly net the second goal, going coast-to-coast for the short-handed marker at 15:15.

Meghan Turner scored on a scramble in front of the Princeton bench at 1:43 of the third. Kenzie Prater carried the puck around the back of the goal and tried a wrap around but it was stopped by the stick of Neatby. Prater fell trying to take the shot and it players from both teams tried to get the puck around her. Kenzie Lancaster was able to get it Turner in the slot and slipped the puck in between the left pipe and Neatby.

A give-and-go between Raquel Pennoyer and Samoskevich led to the tying goal. As Pennoyer's backdoor chance was denied by Neatby the puck flipped into the air and was knocked down by Samoskevich behind the goal and Pennoyer bounced it over the pad of Neatby at 2:32.

Bullock had the best chance to score in what remained of regulation with a snipe from the left circle that Rossman had to reach with an outstretched glove with two minutes to play in the third.

Princeton was hungry in the first overtime as shots fell 15-8 in favor of the Tigers. Quinnipiac's Rossman kept her team alive with 15 saves to force a second overtime. Senior Morgan Sly had two back-to-back Grade A chances to score. Junior Kiersten Falck had a rip in the slot, and senior Molly Contini had two chances, the first coming on a Lund rebound.

Both teams survived taking a penalty each in the second overtime with Princeton outshooting Quinnipiac 17-5. Princeton's best two chances came from seniors Fiona McKenna and Cassidy Tucker.

Princeton was 0 for 2 on the power play while Quinnipiac, playing without its leading scorer TT Cianfarano, was 0 for 6.

The teams will play Game 2 tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. It's a must win situation for the Tigers in the best-of-three series.