Women's Hockey | 11/26/2013 11:47:00 AM
Click here for RIT Game Notes --- Click here for Quinnipiac Game Notes
Click here for Nutmeg Classic Program --- Program Insert
ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT women's hockey team ventures east this weekend to play in the 10th Annual Nutmeg Classic, hosted by Quinnipiac University at High Point Solutions Arena at the TD Bank Sports Center. On Friday, the Tigers play host Quinnipiac, ranked No. 8 in the nation at 4 p.m. On Saturday, RIT will play either Yale or Connecticut at either 1 or 4 p.m., depending on Friday's outcome.
The Tigers enter this weekend's contests fresh off a split against Mercyhurst last weekend. RIT won 2-1 on Friday and lost 3-2 on Saturday to snap a Division I team record five-game unbeaten streak. Junior #
Kolbee McCrea (Wawa, Ontario/Burlington Barracudas) scored three goals over the weekend to earn College Hockey America Player of the Week honors. She leads the team with seven goals this season. Senior (Brantford, Ontario/Assumption Collegiate)Kourtney Kunichika (Fullerton, CA/LA Selects)# recorded three assists on the weekend, and leads the squad in scoring, with 12 points on five goals and seven assists.
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Ali Binnington (Oakville, Ontario/Mississauga Chiefs)# was named the College Hockey America Goaltender of the Week for the third straight week, as she stopped 76-of-80 shots (.950 save percentage) against Mercyhurst. Binnington is now 8-3-1 this season with a 1.97 goals against average and .933 save percentage. Binnington is 6-1-1 with a 1.13 goals against average and .958 save percentage over her last eight games.
RIT is 7-0-0 on Friday and 1-6-1 on Saturday this season, and has allowed just 25 goals over its last 14 games.
Quinnipiac, members of the ECAC, enters this weekend ranked No. 8 nationally with a 10-2-5 mark, looking to snap a three-game winless streak. On Tuesday, the Bobcats skated to a 1-1 tie against Princeton. Last weekend, the Bobcats skated to a 1-1 tie with St. Lawrence on Friday, and fell 3-0 to No. 6 Clarkson the next day. Kelly Babstock leads the team in scoring with 22 points on 10 goals and 12 assists. The Bobcats have four players with double-digit point totals. In net, junior Chelsea Laden is 10-2-4 with a 1.07 goals against average and .947 save percentage.
Connecticut, members of the Hockey East Conference, comes into the Nutmeg Classic with a 4-8-2 record. Most recently, the Huskies were swept in a weekend series by the Boston College by scores of 6-2, and 3-2. Junior Sarah MacDonnell leads all Huskies in scoring with 13 points on five goals and eight assists. Michela Cava is the only other Huskie to have over 10 points this season. Sarah Moses and Elaine Chuli have split time in net, as both hold a 2-4-1 mark. Moses has a 3.37 goals against average, and .911 save percentage, while Chuli has a 3.79 goals against average and .903 save percentage.
ECAC foe Yale enters the weekend with a 2-7-1 record. Last weekend the Bulldogs faced Minnesota, the top-ranked team in Division I, and fell by scores of 5-1 and 4-1. Sophomore Jamie Haddad leads the squad in scoring with eight points on three goals and five assists. Jamie Leonoff has appeared in every game this season with a 2-7-1 record, to go along with a 3.52 goals against average and .914 save percentage this season.
RIT has never played Quinnipiac or Connecticut. The Tigers are 4-0-0 all time against Yale, 1-0-0 in the Division I era. RIT and Yale met last season, with the Tigers pulling out a 3-0 win at Blue Cross Arena. Binnington made 21 saves in the win, while #
Erin Zach (Elmira, Ontario/Cambridge Fury) and
Celeste Brown (Great Falls, MT/National Sports Academy)# had a goal and an assist apiece.
Friday's game will be aired
live here and have live
stats.
