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Friday, February 10
Princeton, N.J.
6:00 PM
Princeton University
3
vs
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Union
Emerson O'Leary (center) scored the game-winning goal in overtime Friday night.
Photo by: Shelley M. Szwast
Rally, OT Winner Lift Tigers Past Union, Into ECAC Playoffs
February 10, 2023 | Women's Ice Hockey
Kayla Fillier scored twice in the third period to give the Princeton women's hockey team a one-goal lead, and after a Union equalizer with less than five minutes to go in the third helped send it to overtime, Emerson O'Leary had the OT winner as the Tigers defeated the Dutchwomen 3-2 to clinch an ECAC Hockey playoff berth.
Princeton now has 27 standings points and are guaranteed to finish clear of the final four teams in the standings, as the maximum point total for any team in that group entering Saturday stands at 25. The ECAC playoffs will begin Feb. 24, and Princeton will be on the road for the best-of-three series. The opponent will be determined over the final three dates of the regular season, with Yale (49.5), Colgate (47.5), Quinnipiac (47) and Clarkson (37.5) currently in the top four spots and hosting position.
Union got the first goal of the night when Riley Walsh cashed in on a power-play opportunity by sending back a rebound less than seven minutes into the game, and the 1-0 Dutchwomen lead stood through the rest of the first period, all of the second and a couple minutes into the third before Princeton broke through on its own power-play chance. Following an Annie Kuehl shot along the goal line and Union netminder Sophie Matsoukas having to slide to her left to make the save, the puck bounced into the open crease and Fillier jammed it home to tie the game.
Fillier, a senior, needed just a minute and 39 seconds to earn her first two-goal game as a Tiger. With Princeton again on the power play, Maggie Connors skated toward the goal line and found Fillier standing right in front of the crease for a quick pass and the finish to give Princeton the lead.
All five goals on the night came on the power play, and Union's equalizer came with just less than five minutes to go in the third when Walsh again sent home a rebound to knot it at 2-2, where it stood through the end of the third.
A tripping penalty 48 seconds into the overtime turned the 4-on-4 format into a 4-on-3 for the Tigers, and just past the midway point of the overtime, Mariah Keopple put a shot on goal that Matsoukas saved, but O'Leary was there for a rebound shot that trickled through for the win.
Princeton outshot the Dutchwomen 86-33 overall and 49-17 on goal as netminder Jennifer Olnowich made 15 saves in the win.
Princeton will take the Baker Rink ice one final time this winter when Rensselaer comes in Saturday for a 3 p.m. start. Princeton will honor seniors Fillier, Keopple, Connors, Solveig Neunzert and Chloe Harvey following the game. Tickets are available here, and the game will be streamed on ESPN+ in the U.S. and Stretch internationally.
Princeton now has 27 standings points and are guaranteed to finish clear of the final four teams in the standings, as the maximum point total for any team in that group entering Saturday stands at 25. The ECAC playoffs will begin Feb. 24, and Princeton will be on the road for the best-of-three series. The opponent will be determined over the final three dates of the regular season, with Yale (49.5), Colgate (47.5), Quinnipiac (47) and Clarkson (37.5) currently in the top four spots and hosting position.
Union got the first goal of the night when Riley Walsh cashed in on a power-play opportunity by sending back a rebound less than seven minutes into the game, and the 1-0 Dutchwomen lead stood through the rest of the first period, all of the second and a couple minutes into the third before Princeton broke through on its own power-play chance. Following an Annie Kuehl shot along the goal line and Union netminder Sophie Matsoukas having to slide to her left to make the save, the puck bounced into the open crease and Fillier jammed it home to tie the game.
Fillier, a senior, needed just a minute and 39 seconds to earn her first two-goal game as a Tiger. With Princeton again on the power play, Maggie Connors skated toward the goal line and found Fillier standing right in front of the crease for a quick pass and the finish to give Princeton the lead.
?? Two goals just 1:39 apart for Kayla Fillier in her first collegiate two-goal game!
— Princeton Women's Ice Hockey (@PWIH) February 11, 2023
??: https://t.co/F8lkhgUSMc pic.twitter.com/6hkRT3r3wS
All five goals on the night came on the power play, and Union's equalizer came with just less than five minutes to go in the third when Walsh again sent home a rebound to knot it at 2-2, where it stood through the end of the third.
A tripping penalty 48 seconds into the overtime turned the 4-on-4 format into a 4-on-3 for the Tigers, and just past the midway point of the overtime, Mariah Keopple put a shot on goal that Matsoukas saved, but O'Leary was there for a rebound shot that trickled through for the win.
FINAL/OT | Princeton 3, Union 2
— Princeton Women's Ice Hockey (@PWIH) February 11, 2023
O'LEARY, OT, OH YEAH!
WE WIN! pic.twitter.com/OTlY1Ra2vn
Princeton outshot the Dutchwomen 86-33 overall and 49-17 on goal as netminder Jennifer Olnowich made 15 saves in the win.
Princeton will take the Baker Rink ice one final time this winter when Rensselaer comes in Saturday for a 3 p.m. start. Princeton will honor seniors Fillier, Keopple, Connors, Solveig Neunzert and Chloe Harvey following the game. Tickets are available here, and the game will be streamed on ESPN+ in the U.S. and Stretch internationally.
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