PITTSBURGH– Last weekend the Colonials (2-2-1) established themselves as an elite team in not only the CHA but in D1 women’s hockey. They were ranked no. 10 after a well-fought series with no. 2 Minnesota (6-0) and this weekend was yet another challenge. RMU took on no. 4 Clarkson (3-1-1) for the first game of a two-game series and tied after 65 minutes of play.
This game was easily the weirdest one of the season thus far. A whopping twenty penalties were called for both teams with ten chances on the powerplay for each team. This game also marked the “revenge game” if you will, for transfer student Michaela Boyle who was a member of the Golden Knights last year. Arielle DeSmet got the start and posted 15 saves in the second period alone, for a 36 save night with three goals allowed.
As alluded to before, both teams struggled to stick with five on five play in the game, and the first period is where this all started. Robert Morris found themselves killing three penalties in the period with one getting away as Rhyen McGill score on the powerplay midway through the first. Luckily, the game did not get out of RMU’s hands as they walked into the dressing room only down 1-0.
The second period was eventful, and that’s putting it lightly. Eleven penalties were etched in the score box. I would list them all, but I would likely get called for a two-minute delay of game minor. Despite the period having little to no five on five time, Taylor Turnquist buried a shot from the faceoff circle past DeSmet while both sides were at full strength, making it a two-goal lead for the Golden Knights.
“It is definitely tough to find the balance between killing the powerplay and being five on five, but I think we battled really hard though it and obviously the scoreboard showed it as well,” stated senior alternate captain Sarah Lecavalier after the game.
“When you get a lot of special teams like that, it breaks the flow up and changes the game. I thought our players did a great job responding to it. I think we had some real tough adversity in a few key points in the game but our players battled through it,” added head coach Paul Colontino.
The tables turned later in the second period as RMU took advantage of the six Clarkson penalties called in the frame. In the game against her former team, Michaela Boyle tipped home an Emilie Harley shot from the point, getting RMU on the board 2-1. On a different powerplay not long after, Jaycee Gebhard scored with assists coming from Curlett and Boyle, tying the game at two. Finally, on yet another RMU powerplay in the second period, Emily Curlett blasted home one of her signature slapshots to give the Colonials the 3-2 lead.
“Knowing that we have a powerplay that just needs one opportunity or one look, we know (and they know) that all we need is one shot. We have that mindset knowing that we are pretty good on the power-play, it’s just one shot is all you are waiting for,” added Colontino.
Before the second period could end, Clarkson tied the game up when Rhyen McGill scored her second goal of the game. The goal came on the powerplay yet again, meaning that only one goal in tonight’s contest was scored with both sides at full strength.
The third period was a strong period for both teams, yet no pucks found twine. Only three penalties were called, so it opened the door for more traditional five on five play. After 60 minutes of play, RMU and Clarkson found themselves at a 3-3 tie.
“I think we did really battle in the third period and it was one of the better periods we had. We are not satisfied with it, but I think we can definitely bring more tomorrow,” noted junior forward Anjelica Diffendal.
The overtime frame went exactly like just every other collegiate hockey overtime. There was simply not enough time for solid goal-scoring chances and the game frustratingly ended with a 3-3 tie.
Tomorrow will be another matchup with the Golden Knights at the Island Sports Center at 3:05 p.m. If you are looking for solid college hockey, please come on down and watch these two teams duke it out.
