NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Sophomore forward Courtney Pensavalle's goal with 7:07 left in regulation made the difference Friday afternoon at Ingalls Rink as the Yale women's ice hockey team came away with a 2-1 win over Union. The Bulldogs had to rally for the win, falling behind 1-0 in the first period but limiting Union to just seven shots in the final two periods as the comeback took place. Senior forward Jamie Haddad scored Yale's other goal.

Union (0-20-5, 0-11-2 ECAC Hockey) came out strong, outshooting Yale 11-10 in the first. The Bulldogs had the first two power plays of the game but could not convert, and shortly after the second one ended the Dutchwomen got on the scoreboard. Forward Kathryn Tomaselli carried the puck out of her own zone and up the left wing before slicing through the defense across the front of the goal and depositing her team-leading sixth tally of the year.

The Dutchwomen nearly scored again a minute later on a power play, as the puck trickled behind Yale junior goalie Hanna Mandl after she stopped a shot by defenseman Kathryn Davis. But with sophomore blue liners Kara Drexler and Mallory Souliotis diving to the ice in the crease, the Bulldogs kept the puck out of the net. They killed off that penalty, and another one late in the first.

Yale (6-13-1, 5-7-1 ECAC Hockey) knotted the game up in the second period thanks to a great pass from freshman forward Emma Vlasic from behind the net. She backhanded one through traffic and into the slot, where it snuck past several unsuspecting Union players and found Haddad in between the circles. Her one-timer beat Union goalie Melissa Black at the 12:23 mark. Sophomore forward Brittany Wheeler also assisted on the play. The teams went into the third 1-1.

"If Emma doesn't make that pass, that goal doesn't happen," said Joakim Flygh, Yale's Susan Cavanagh Head Coach of Women's Ice Hockey. "She's got a lot of talent, and it's great to see her getting involved in the offense."

The game-winner came in unexpected fashion, as Pensavalle took a chance from just inside the blue line after sophomore forward Emily Monaghan and senior forward Hanna Åström helped get her the puck in the neutral zone. Black got her glove on Pensavalle's slap shot but did not get enough of it, as the puck popped loose and trickled over the goal line to put Yale ahead 2-1.

"That line [Åström, Monaghan and Pensavalle] has been outstanding since Christmas," said Flygh. "They give a very consistent effort, and play well in all three zones. It's great to see them get rewarded."

Sophomore forward Eden Murray hit the post with a shot with 75 seconds left, adding to the drama of the game's final moments. But the Bulldogs kept the puck in Union's zone long enough to limit the Dutchwomen's chances to pull Black for an extra skater. They finally were able to do so with 30 seconds left but could not even get a shot off until the final seconds, when senior forward Janelle Ferrara dove to the ice and blocked an attempt by Davis as the clock expired on the 2-1 Yale win.

Mandl finished with 17 saves, while Black made 39.

"Union defends really well, and they play to their strengths," said Flygh of the upset-minded Dutchwomen. "They have great goaltending and they made it hard for us to get rebounds."

Yale hosts Rensselaer Saturday at 1:00 p.m. -- the game time was adjusted because of the snowstorm in the forecast.

UPDATE 1/23/2016: Yale's game vs. Rensselaer on Saturday Jan. 23 has been cancelled due to the winter storm.

Report by Sam Rubin '95 (sam.rubin@yale.edu), Yale Sports Publicity

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