San Mateo, CA -- Despite having five different goal-scorers, the Aggies couldn’t hold off the Stanford Cardinals and tied 5-5 in what was an exciting game for spectators at Nazareth Ice in San Mateo.
Teeple, Hamamjy, Mills, Machida, and Yu each potted a goal for UC Davis. Katsnelson was in goal and stopped 28 of 33 shots.
This was the second game of a grueling back-to-back in which the Aggies played two games within less than 24 hours. Byrnes had held his ground the night before in a difficult matchup against Santa Clara University at Sharks Ice in Fremont.
“I thought we had some great plays considering our slow start, but it was our lack of discipline that made us give up the lead.” said UC Davis head coach Niklas Braun of the team’s performance. “It’s a shame that we had to end in a tie but the positive side is that we know exactly what we have to do to come back and beat this team in two weeks.”
With a 2-0 lead late in the first period, first-year forward Tryssa De Ruyter tripped a Cardinal for her first career ACHA penalty. Although this offense was celebrated, the Aggies penalty killers had their fair share of work in having to kill three other minors throughout the game.
Special teams play has been a key in success for UC Davis throughout the season. Their penalty kill was successful and went 4-for-4. The powerplay had some success as well, as the Aggies got two goals on five attempts.
The Aggies watched a 3-0 lead disappear in the ten minutes of action before the second intermission. After a multitude of near misses, Stanford tied the game at 3 on a quick rush that resulted in a rebound to be deposited past Katsnelson with 16 seconds remaining in the second. Remarkably, Kazunori Machida rushed the puck down the right-wing boards and scored on a great individual effort with 0.8 seconds remaining on the clock. The Aggies left for the ice cut with a 4-3 lead held over a dejected Stanford group.
The beginning of the third saw the Aggies jump to a 5-3 lead after Yu’s bomb from the point on a 5-on-3. This would be all the scoring for the team the rest of the afternoon. Soon after, Stanford picked up the pace and kept the pressure on for most of the third period. The Cardinals tied the game on two goals that resulted from scrambles for the puck at the front of the net. The Aggies would not fall in overtime this go-around, but couldn’t score on a power play during the 5 minute period.
“Considering we had a short bench and played our second game in less than 24 hours, I thought we put up a really good effort” said second-year defenseman Catherine Heyboer.
The Aggies take on Stanford at home in Vacaville on February 10th.