MOON TWP, Pa. -- Three first-period goals by Robert Morris proved to be insurmountable on Saturday afternoon as ninth-ranked Mercyhurst dropped a 3-2 decision at the RMU Island Sports Center. The Lakers fell to 6-4-1 on the season and 1-1-0 overall in College Hockey America action. Robert Morris improved to 9-3-0 overall and 3-1-0 in the CHA.
Amanda Makela suffered the loss in net to drop to 6-4-1 on the season. Makela still has a 1.73 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage despite her early exit on Saturday. Julia DiTondo relieved Makela for the final two periods and stopped all eight shots she faced. It was her first action of the season.
Jessica Dodds picked up the win for the Colonials after stopping 25 shots.
The game was marred by penalties, especially at the end of the contest when 77 minutes in penalties were handed out after the final buzzer. All told, the teams combined for 101 penalty minutes with 59 of those assessed to Mercyhurst. Robert Morris went 2-for-6 on the power play while the Lakers converted 1-of-4 opportunities.
No. 1 Minnesota 4, St. Cloud St. 3
ST. CLOUD, Minn. -- The No. 1 Golden Gophers scored two goals in the final 2:02 to come from behind in a 4-3 win against St. Cloud St. at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center on Saturday afternoon.
Sophomore Milica McMillen scored the game winner with 1:09 remaining after freshman Dani Cameranesi tipped a shot by senior Baylee Gillanders to tie the game at 3-3 with 2:02 to play.
Minnesota (12-0-0, 10-0-0 WCHA) came from behind twice to earn its 61st consecutive victory. The Huskies led 2-0 and 3-2 in the game.
SCSU netminder Katie Fitzgerald made 32 saves, and sophomore goaltender Amanda Leveille finished with 17 stops as the Gophers held a 36-20 advantage in shots on goal.
No. 3 Cornell 8, Union (N.Y.) 1
ITHACA, N.Y. -- Senior Jessica Campbell and juniors Jillian Saulnier and Emily Fulton each finished with four points to pace the Big Red to an 8-1 win against Union (N.Y.) at Lynah Rink on Saturday. The victory is Cornell's seventh of the season, and fifth in ECAC Hockey contests.
With the four-point weekend, Cornell joins the No. 1 Minnesota as the only two teams still unbeaten in Division I this season.
The Big Red finished the game 3-for-4 on the power play and netminders Lauren Slebodnick and freshman Paula Voorheis combined for 29 saves. Voorheis – who saw her first collegiate minutes against the Dutchwomen – took over for the senior after the first intermission. Cornell ended up with only a slight edge in shots on goal 31-30, as Union's defense blocked an impressive 23 attempts. Junior Alex Tancrell-Fontaine led the defensive efforst for the Dutchwomen with five blocks.
No. 8 Harvard 2, No. 6 Clarkson 0
POTSDAM, N.Y. -- Sophomore Mary Parker found the back of the net twice and classmate Emerance Maschmeyer denied 33 shots between the pipes to earn her third shutout of the season as No. 8 Harvard toppled No. 6 Clarkson 2-0 on Saturday evening in Cheel Arena.
The Crimson move to 5-1-0 (5-1-0 ECAC) after sweeping the weekend in the North Country in the final set of a four-game road swing. Harvard now sits a point behind Cornell in the ECAC standings to start the young season.
No. 7 Quinnipiac 0, Yale 0
NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- In a 65-minute showdown ending in a 0-0 tie, the battle between No. 7 Quinnipiac and Yale was as high-octane and pressure-packed as it could get on Saturday from Ingalls Rink. Junior goalie Chelsea Laden was every bit as dominant as she could be, making 27 saves to record her Division I-leading fifth shutout of the year. The Bobcats unleashed a potent offense on the Bulldogs, outshooting their crosstown rival, 44-27, but couldn't manage to get one through. Quinnipiac extends its unbeaten streak to four games as the record moves to 8-1-3 (3-1-2 ECAC Hockey) while Yale ends its five-game losing streak at 0-5-1 (0-3-1 ECAC Hockey).
Laden kicksaved and batted away all 27 Yale shots she saw on Saturday to lead the way to the draw and keep her team in the game. None of her 27 saves were bigger or more impressive than her glove save with less than 10 minutes to play in the third period. After kicking aside a rifle shot from the point, one of the Yale forwards wound up a slap shot and made it to the open rebound opportunity before the Bobcat defender. Her laser slapper made it through a couple players in front but not Laden's glove as she flashed the leather with a lightning-quick reach up to flick the sure-goal away. Laden also picked up four saves in the final overtime period to put away the game and earn her team one point in a crucial conference matchup.
Each team was able to have a couple extended possessions in the extra five minutes of play but to no avail as Laden kicked away the one legitimate scoring chance for Yale. A shot from the point flew in on the mass of defenders in front and took a crazy bounce to the far post but Laden's right pad leg stood strong and denied the potential game-winner.
No. 10 Boston University 5, Maine 1
BOSTON -- Freshman Maddie Elia’s four-point effort helped lift No. 10 Boston University to a 5-1 win against Maine on Saturday afternoon at Walter Brown Arena.
BU (8-1-1, 5-0-0 WHEA) trailed Maine (0-6-3, 0-2-3 WHEA) 1-0 after the first period, but scored three times in the second period to take the lead and keep it. Elia scored two goals and had assists on two others; her four points and two goals are both career highs.
BU killed off all five power plays it faced and has not allowed a power-play goal in its opponents’ past 17 chances.
