HAMDEN, Conn. (2/17/07) – The Colgate University women’s ice hockey team captured a 5-3 win over Quinnipiac University in the final regular season game on Saturday, Feb. 17 at the TD Banknorth Sports Center.

 

Colgate took a 2-0 lead before Quinnipiac knotted the game with back-to-back goals.  A Bobcat own goal put the Raiders up 3-2 before the close of the first.  The teams traded goals in the second and Colgate added another in the third.

 

Sophomore Sam Hunt (Calgary, Alta.) and freshman Katie Stewart (Exeter, Ont.) each collected three points.

 

Sophomore Elin Brown (Calgary, Alta.) had a shot that was saved by Janelle Wolitski but rebounded back out onto the ice.  Freshman Evan Minnick (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) was there and flipped the puck high over the shoulder of Wolitski and over the goal line at 4:31.  Junior Mallory Johnston (Chatham, Ont.) also received credit for setting up the goal.

 

The Raiders took a 2-0 lead when Hunt scored a short-handed tally, her second of the season.  Stewart found Hunt in the neutral zone, and Hunt skated into the zone and displayed some tremendous stick work as she faked out Wolitski, going between her glove and the right post at 10:30.

 

Hunt’s is now Colgate’s all-time leading short-handed goal scorer, surpassing assistant coach Allison Paiano (’06), with five.

 

Quinnipiac got on the board with a goal from Elyse Cole at 14:50.  Jennifer MacLean had the initial shot from inside the left face-off circle that was blocked by a Colgate defended. The puck skirted into the open ice where Kristin Alcorn was able to put a stick on it and fire towards sophomore Elayna Hamashuk (Nepean, Ont.).  Hamashuk stopped the puck but it came back out onto the ice to Cole who had an open look on the right side.

 

Hayley McMeeken knotted the game at one apiece at 16:55 with a power-play marker.  Karrah Stephen rifled a shot at Hamashuk who stopped it with outstretched arms as she was sprawled on the ice.  The puck was stopped in the paint but spun itself over the line with McMeekin giving it an extra tap.

 

The Raiders took a 3-2 lead at 19:54 with a goal from Stewart.  Stewart sent a shot towards Wolitski that was turned away to the right side as Quinnipiac’s Nicolette Leone skated past and popped the puck into her own net.  Hunt and Johnston picked up helpers on the play.

 

The Bobcats evened the game at 4:34 of the second when Cole took a direct shot right after MacLean won a face off in the left circle.  MacLean won the draw back to Cole who blasted a shot over Hamashuk’s shoulder.

 

At 12:46 of the second, senior Brook Wheeler (Brussels, Ont.) replaced Hamashuk, who sustained an injury after getting taken down outside the crease.  Hamashuk finished the night with 13 saves.

 

Stewart regained the lead for Colgate at 16:48 of the second with a power-play goal.  Senior Tara French (Truro, N.S.) sent the puck in from the point to Brown who was inside the left circle.  Brown not having a clear shot at net saw Stewart on the opposite side and slide the puck across the paint where Stewart one-timed the puck to the opposite corner of the net.

 

Hunt added another at 5:30 of the third to expand the Raiders’ lead to 5-3.  Hunt skated into the offensive end and showed off her craftiness as she tucked the puck between her legs, and pushed it out front with her skate before blasting a shot past Wolitski.

 

Wheeler earned the win for Colgate, as finished the night with 13 saves and did not allow a goal.  Wolitski stopped 32 for Quinnipiac, as the Raiders had a 37-29 edge in shots.

 

The Raiders finish the regular season with a fifth-place finish in the ECAC Hockey League, the highest finish in program history.  As the No. 5 seed, Colgate will travel to face No. 4 Princeton next weekend, Feb. 23-25, in the best of three playoff series.  Game times have yet to be determined.