PRINCETON, NJ – For the first time in RIT’s Division I era, the RIT women’s hockey team (5-4-3) played to a scoreless tie against Princeton (4-1-1) on Saturday afternoon at Hobey Baker Rink.
Junior goaltender Jetta Rackleff (Bend, OR/Summit) made her first start of the season and recorded her first collegiate shutout, stopping all 28 shots she faced. Rackleff made nine saves in the first period, six in the second, 11 in the third, and stopped a pair of shots in overtime.
Princeton goaltender Kimberly Newell stopped all 40 shots she faced in her shutout. She made 13 saves in the first period, nine in the second, 15 in the third, and three in overtime.
Both teams had to kill off a 5-on-3 power-play in the third period. RIT was shorthanded for 1:29 midway through the frame, but did a great job killing it off. Princeton then killed off 29 seconds of a RIT 5-on-3 moments later.
RIT out-shot Princeton, 40-28. Both penalty killing units were outstanding, as RIT killed off all seven Princeton power-plays, while RIT was 0-for-6 with the man-advantage.
“I was really pleased with our intensity today throughout the game,” said RIT head coach Scott McDonald. “Jetta (Rackleff) was outstanding in net for us and made some big saves.”
It was RIT’s first scoreless since Jan. 22, 2011 against SUNY Plattsburgh at Ritter Arena.
Princeton now leads the all-time series between the two schools, 9-2-3 and is 2-0-1 against RIT since they moved to Division in 2012.
“I thought it was very fitting that the game ended in a tie,” said McDonald. “Both teams played their hearts out and neither of us deserved to lose that game.”
Yesterday, RIT built a 3-0 lead just 12 minutes into the contest, before Princeton rallied with the final four goals, including the game-winner 1:26 into overtime for the 4-3 victory. Kolbee McCrea(Wawa, Ontario/Burlington Barracudas), Haley Northcote (Cumberland, Ontario/Minnesota State), and Celeste Brown (Great Falls, MT/National Sports Academy) scored for RIT, while Brooke Stoddart (Elmvale, Ontario/Elmvale) made 30 saves.
RIT is back home next weekend for a pair of home games against Penn State to conclude Valor Week. Friday’s game will start at 7:05 p.m., while Saturday’s gets underway at 3:05 p.m. RIT will wear special military themed jerseys that will be auctioned off online from Nov. 11 to Nov. 18.
