QU Women's Ice Hockey Faces No. 3 Seed Harvard in First NCAA Tournament Appearance Saturday at 4 P.M.
3/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Quarterfinals
Quinnipiac Bobcats (26-8-3, 15-5-2 ECAC Hockey) vs.
No. 3 Harvard Crimson (25-5-3, 16-4-2 ECAC Hockey)
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Bright-Landry Hockey Center - Cambridge, Massachusetts
- QU Women's Ice Hockey Postseason Media Guide
- NCAA Tournament Guide
- Harvard Women's Ice Hockey Homepage
- Live Video on Ivy League Digital Network
- Live Stats
- Twitter: @QUAthletics; @QU_WomensIceHky
Puck Drop
The Quinnipiac women's ice hockey team heads into its first NCAA Tournament appearance when they face the No. 3 seed Harvard Crimson for the fourth time this season on Saturday, March 14 at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts with puck drop set for 4 P.M.
Fan Bus
Quinnipiac Athletics is offering a fan bus to the Quinnipiac women's ice hockey team's first ever NCAA Tournament game at Harvard. The bus is free of charge, and fans can purchase their tickets for $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. The bus will pick up fans at 12:30 from the Athletics and Recreation Center on the Mount Carmel campus. It will leave Harvard 30 minutes after the conclusion of the game.
All-Time Against the Crimson
Harvard has owned the all-time series with Quinnipiac essentially from the beginning of the matchups with the Bobcats joined the ECAC in the 2005-06 season. The Bobcats are just 2-17-2 in the 21 matchups between the two teams, with the only victories against the Crimson coming in back to back meetings on Jan. 9, 2010 and Nov. 12, 2010. This season, Harvard has defeated Quinnipiac by a 2-1 margin three times this season, most recently in the 2015 ECAC Women's Hockey Semifinals. The Bobcats and the Crimson's matchup went to overtime, but Miye D'Oench was credited with the game-winning goal 2:39 into the overtime period. For the third straight time, Quinnipiac took a 1-0 lead in the first period as Emma Woods banked a shot off Emerance Maschmeyer for a goal 6:16 into the game. Harvard evened the game in the third period as Sarah Edney wristed the puck from the point and it found its way past Laden. D'Oench's game-winner sent the Crimson to the ECAC Championship game, where they defeated Cornell, 7-3, to win their first championship since 2008.
Scouting the Crimson
After a slow start to the season, Harvard turned up the heat and played a dominant second half of the season. The Crimson went 19-3-1 in the second half of the season, including wins in all four ECAC playoff games to win the championship over Cornell. It was Harvard's sixth conference championship overall, and first since the 2008 season. After knocking off the Bobcats, the Crimson trailed the Big Red 2-1 going into the third period but exploded for six goals in the third to win the championship in commanding fashion. Sarah Edney and Mary Parker each had two goal games in the championship, as Parker added two assists for a four-point game and Edney added one for a three-point game. Miye D'Oench scored a goal and picked up an assist while Karly Heffernan and Lexie Laing also scored goals for the Crimson. It was Harvard's second championship this season, as they won the Women's Beanpot last month over Boston College. Harvard has seen a strong offensive attack all season long, with 14 players recording at least 10 points on the season. Mary Parker leads the way with a team-high 37 points on 16 goals and 21 assists. Parker is third on the team in goals and second on the team in assists. D'Oench took over the team-lead in goals with an impressive championship weekend, as she has scored 19 goals with 14 assists for 33 points, second on the team. Sydney Daniels is now third on the team in goals with 18 and fourth in points with 25. Reber has distributed the puck very well for the Crimson, dishing out 25 assists so far this season. From the blue line, Sarah Edney leads the Crimson with seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points after a four-point weekend. The Harvard offense has dominated the first two period of games this season, scoring 43 and 44 goals in the first and second periods, respectively, but had a solid third period this past weekend, scoring seven goals in the final frame.. Emerance Maschmeyer has been a brick wall for the Crimson as the main goaltender, starting 23 games. She has gone 16-4-3 with a 1.50 GAA and .941 save percentage. The Crimson's special teams have been strong all season as well, with the power play checking in at 23.5 percent with 20 goals in 85 chances after going 2-5 on the power play this weekend. The penalty kill has been nearly just as good, killing 95 of 110 penalties for an 86.4 percent penalty kill percentage.
Multimedia
The first round of the NCAA Tournament will be broadcast on NCAA.com for fans wishing to view the game. Live stats will also be available by going to QuinnipiacBobcats.com. Fans can also follow the action by following the Quinnipiac women's ice hockey team on Twitter, @QU_Womensicehky
Last Time Out
The Bobcats fell to the Harvard Crimson for the third time this season, losing in overtime, 2-1. Emma Woods scored the first goal of the game just 6:16 into the first period but the Bobcats couldn't get anything else going. Nicole Brown and Taryn Baumgardt picked up assists on the play that put the Bobcats up 1-0. Harvard didn't respond until the third period when Sarah Edney wristed a shot that found its way past Chelsea Laden to tie the game. The Crimson netted the game-winner on a goal from Miye D'Oench, which stood after a five minute review.
We're Goin' Dancin'
For the first time in program history, the Quinnipiac women's ice hockey team was selected to the NCAA Tournament where they drew No. 3 Harvard. After falling to the Crimson in the ECAC Semifinals, the Bobcats were selected as an At-Large team, emphasized by the body of work they put together during the season.
Looking at the Field
Quinnipiac and RIT are the only teams in the NCAA Tournament appearing for the first time. Of the other six teams in the tournament, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Clarkson have combined to win nine NCAA Championships, with Minnesota and Wisconsin leading the way with four apiece. CHA Champion RIT play No. 1 Minnesota in Minnesota in the first round, while WCHA Champion No. 4 Wisconsin will face Hockey East Champion Boston University. In the other matchup, Hockey East Runner-Up and No. 2 seed Boston College will host defending national champion Clarkson.
ECAC Domination
ECAC Hockey is the only conference to land three teams in the tournament as Harvard, Quinnipiac and Clarkson all qualified, with Harvard taking the automatic bid. Hockey East and the WCHA are each represented by two teams in the tournament while the CHA only landed their conference champion.
Keep the Champion in the ECAC
For the first time in the history of the NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Tournament, a champion was crowned outside of Minnesota or Wisconsin as Harvard became the first non-WCHA team to win the championship. Minnesota-Duluth has won five championships while Minnesota and Wisconsin have won four each to combine for 13 NCAA Championships. After Clarkson won it all last season, Quinnipiac will look to keep the championship in the ECAC as they qualified for their first ever NCAA Tournament.
National Polls
Quinnipiac checked in at No. 6 in the most recent USCHO.com Division I Women's Poll for the third consecutive week. Harvard was ranked fourth in the poll while Clarkson dropped to seventh behind Quinnipiac and stayed put at No. 9 to make all four ECAC semifinalists ranked in the USCHO.com Top 10. The WCHA joined ECAC Hockey as they only two conferences to have four ranked teams in the poll for the second straight week.
Mandi Schwartz Student-Athlete of the Year
Quinnipiac Goaltender Chelsea Laden was honored by ECAC Hockey as the Mandi Schwartz Student-Athlete of the Year. Candidates must be among the top performers on the ice while maintaining a 3.5 GPA in the classroom. Laden is the first Quinnipiac women's ice hockey player to win the award. The award was re-named after Mandi Schwartz, a Yale women's ice hockey player who lost her battle with cancer in 2011. It is one of the highest awards an ECAC Women's Hockey Player can receive.
Chelsea Laden Second-Team All-ECAC
Chelsea Laden was also selected to the ECAC Hockey second-team after a great season in conference play. Laden went 14-5-2 in conference games this season, compiling nine league shutouts which are ranked second all-time in ECAC Hockey history. Laden made 309 saves on the way to posting a 1.19 GAA and .925 save percentage.
Nicole Kosta Third-Team All-ECAC
For the second time in her career, Nicole Kosta was named to the ECAC Hockey third-team after a great season centering the Bobcats first line. The junior battled back after missing all of last season to post seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in 20 league games. Overall, Kosta has 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points, as she leads the team in assists and is third in points.
Taylar Cianfarano All-ECAC Rookie Team
Freshman Taylar Cianfarano was named to the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie team after a sensational first season for the Bobcats. Cianfarano record six goals on nine assists for 15 points in league play. Overall, Cianfarano leads the team and ECAC Hockey rookies with 17 goals and 13 assists for 30 points. Cianfarano's 17 goals are also third in the country, as she has compiled three multi-goal games this season and one hat trick coming against Yale on Jan. 10
Good Sports
The Quinnipiac women's ice hockey team was selected for the SQUADLocker Sportsmanship Trophy at the ECAC Banquet on Friday night, the third time the team as received the award. The Bobcats positive attitude and great play on the ice led them to receiving the award.
Thinking Outside the Box
Quinnipiac is well on its way to breaking the NCAA-record for fewest penalty minutes in a season, set by Yale with 174 penalty minutes in the 2000-01 season. Heading into the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the Bobcats have just 160 team penalty minutes, an average of 4.32 minutes per game. During Yale's record breaking season, it averaged 6.21 penalty minutes per game. The Bobcats already own the NCAA record for few penalty minutes per game, at 5.9 set during the 2012-13 season.
Outshooting the Competition
The Bobcats have been a strong team this season when outshooting their opponents, posting a 26-5-3 record. Quinnipiac has exactly doubled its shot total of opponents, 1,240 to 620 this season. Overall, the Bobcats are averaging 33.5 shots on goal per game compared to just 16.8 for the opposition. Quinnipiac allows the fewest total shots and shots on goal per game in the country, as well being tied for the lowest GAA at 1.07. The second period continues to be Quinnipiac's most dominant period this season, as they outscore opponents 38-9 and outshoot opponents 441-200, a 241 shot advantage.
Team Success
The Bobcats finished the regular season with the best record in program history, going 24-7-3 with a 15-5-2 conference record and third in the conference. Including the playoffs, the 26 overall victories and 15 conference wins are the most in program history, with the previous overall wins high at 22 and conference wins high at 13. Quinnipiac's previous best finish was fourth, which they accomplished three times prior to this season. With the playoffs on the horizon, the Bobcats look to add to their already historic season.
Into the Woods
Emma Woods found the back of the net for the 11th time this season Saturday evening with the lone goal in the Bobcats 2-1 overtime loss to the Crimson. The goal extended Woods' streak to four consecutive games this a point, tied for her second longest streak this season. It was also the second time this season Woods' has recorded a point against the Harvard, as she assisted Lindsey West's goal back on Dec. 6 at Harvard. Woods has one goal and two assists in 2-1 games this season for the Bobcats.
Brownie Points
Nicole Brown recorded her 12th assist of the season to extender her point streak to three consecutive games dating back to the beginning of the postseason. Brown assisted Woods' goal against Harvard after scoring an empty-netter in game two of the quarterfinals against Princeton and picking up an assist in game one of the quarterfinals. The three-game point streak is Brown's second such streak of the season after a similar streak from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1. She is a +4 in the span of her latest streak and hasn't recorded a penalty since Oct. 24 at New Hampshire.
T-Bomb in the House
Taryn Baumgardt picked up her fourth assist of the season on Woods' goal as the defenseman got on the scoresheet for the first time since recording an assist against Cornell on Feb. 6. Baumgardt is one point away from matching the mark of seven set during her freshman season in 2013-14.
Laden's Level
Chelsea Laden gave up two goals Saturday evening, the 31st time this season she has allowed two or fewer goals in a game this season. Laden has posted an impressive 1.12 GAA this season on her way to 16 shutouts and 25 victories. It was also just the 10th time this season she has had to make more than 20 saves, as the Bobcats' netminder made 26 saves on 28 shots.
No Penalties, Please
Quinnipiac didn't record a penalty in a game for the seventh time this season Saturday evening as the Bobcats lead the nation in fewest penalty minutes at 160 as a team. The Bobcats have recorded zero penalty minutes in four of their last seven games, staying out of the box at a whole new level.
In the Record Books
Chelsea Laden's impressive season continues to open people's eyes as she has set numerous Quinnipiac women's ice hockey records and is approaching some league and national records as well. With two shutouts this past weekend, Laden surpassed former Clarkson goaltender Erica Howe for the most shutouts in ECAC Women's Hockey history. She is also just one shutout away from tying Minnesota great Noora Räty for 17 shutouts for the most in NCAA Women's Hockey history.
ECAC Single-Season Shutout Record
|
Rank |
No. |
Name, Team |
Year |
|
1. |
16 |
Chelsea Laden, Quinnipiac |
2014-15 |
|
2. |
14 |
Erica Howe, Clarkson |
2013-14 |
|
3. |
13 |
Ali Brewer, Brown |
1998-99 |
|
4. |
12 |
Christina Kessler, Harvard |
2007-08 |
|
5. |
11 |
Amanda Mazzotta, Cornell |
2009-10 |
NCAA Single-Season Shutout Record
|
Rank |
No. |
Name, Team |
Year |
|
1. |
17 |
Noora Räty, Minnesota |
2012-13 |
|
2. |
16 |
Chelsea Laden, Quinnipiac |
2014-15 |
|
3. |
14 |
Erica Howe, Clarkson |
2013-14 |
|
3. |
14 |
Jessie Vetter, Wisconsin |
2008-09 |
|
5. |
13 |
Amanda Leveille, Minnesota |
2013-14 |
Denied
Chelsea Laden has recorded three consecutive shutouts dating back to the final game of the regular season against Brown. Her current shutout streak stands at 195:51 of game time, the second longest scoreless streak of the season for Laden. Her longest stretch spanned from the start of the season to Oct. 24, spanning 267:33 of game time.
