HAMDEN, Conn. –  The Mercyhurst University women's hockey team got a late third period goal from freshman forward Sarah Hine, with just 34 seconds left in regulation, and escaped with a 3-3 overtime tie at #7 Quinnipiac University on Friday night at the High Point Solutions Arena. The game was the first of the season for both teams.

The two teams played a scoreless first period, one in which Quinnipiac had a slight 8-6 advantage in shots. Neither team committed a penalty in the opening frame.

The Bobcats got on the board early in the second, however, when junior forward Emma Woods beat Mercyhurst freshman goaltender Sarah McDonnell at the 2:33 mark. Taylor Cianfarano had her first of two helpers on the marker. The Lakers' deficit grew to two six minutes later when freshman winger Melissa Samoskevich lit the lamp. Kristen Tamberg had the lone assist. 

But Mercyhurst came to life late in the period thanks to senior captain Emily Janiga. The East Aurora, New York, native scored back-to-back goals, 91 seconds apart, to tie the contest at 2-2,. The first came at 15:55 while the second, at 17:26, occurred with the Lakers a skater up. Senior defender J'nai Mahadeo and freshman forward Rachael Smith helped on the first while sophomore winger Sarah Robello teamed with freshman forward Morgan Stacey for assists on the second.

The Bobcats outshot the Lakers 10-6 in the middle period, but hurt themselves with three minor penalties, one of which proved costly.

Woods put the Bobcats back in front with her second of the game at 6:51 of the final stanza. But, the resilient Lakers pulled McDonnell late in the contest and the strategy paid off when Hine's shot eluded Bobcats' junior netminder Sydney Rossman at 19:26. Sophomore Brooke Hartwick helped. The Lakers had a 10-6 shot advantage in the third.

Neither team as able to score in the five minute overtime period. The teams combined for three shots in the extra session, two for the Bobcats.

Quinnipiac outshot Mercyhurst 26-23 for the 65 minutes but failed on its only power play opportunity. Mercyhurst finished 1-for-3. The Lakers won 28 of 52 faceoffs as Hartwick won 12 of 20 and senior forward Kathy Donohue won 8 of 11. The Laker defense was terrific in front of McDonnell, who was making her first collegiate start. Mercyhurst blocked 24 shot attempts in the contest with a game-high five each by Stacey and junior Paige Horton.

Janiga's goals were the 62nd and 63rd of her career. She now has 129 career points in 110 career games. With her two goals, she moved into a tie for 11th on the school's all-time point scoring list with Stephanie Jones (2004-08). Janiga's 63 career goals are ninth in program history.

The two teams will conclude the weekend series on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.