PRINCETON, N.J.  – The Bulldogs completed the best regular season in program history by beating Princeton 3-0 today at Hobey Baker Memorial Rink.
Three skaters found the net and Pia Dukaric tied the school record for shutouts in a season with her fifth as the No. 6 Yale Women's Ice Hockey Team finished second in ECAC Hockey with a 16-5-1 record.


The best finish ever for a Yale team has it hosting its first conference playoff series since 2005. Next weekend, the No. 2 seeded Elis skate against No. 7 St. Lawrence in a best-of-three at Ingalls. Friday puck drop is 6 p.m. followed by a pair of 3 p.m. contests on Saturday and Sunday (if needed).

The Tigers had the ice titled a bit in their favor in the opening frame, outshooting the Blue 8-5 with two breakaways, but the visitors left the ice for the first intermission with a 1-0 lead. That's because Charlotte Welch took a feed from Claire Dalton and wheeled out from below the goal line to fire a wrister top shelf for her 12^th of the year.

Dukaric, who stopped a few breakaways and grade-A chances in the first half of the middle frame, helped keep the home team off the board as the Elis added to their lead with a nifty move by Dalton. The junior forward, who got a feed from Welch, split two defenders and deked the Princeton goalie before flicking a backhander into the net midway through the second.

The Bulldogs (22-6-1) continued to test the Tigers' netminder, and it produced a third goal a third of the way into the final period. Elle Hartje, looking for a team-high 14^th goal, skated across the low slot, got poke-checked by the goalie and started to fall but still managed to slide the puck, on the backhand, under her for a 3-0 lead.

"Very happy to see us bounce back with a great team win today on short rest," said Mark Bolding, Yale's Susan Cavanagh Head Coach. "We had some jump with our forecheck and turned over pucks often. Scoring first was key and the goals by Welch, Dalton and Hartje were high-level plays.  Pia was excellent in the pipes today. Excited for home playoff round next week."

Dukaric, a first-year who got her first conference start against the Tigers back in late October, and senior Gianna Meloni both finished the regular season with five shutouts.
 
NEXT WEEKEND
 
No. 7 St. Lawrence at No. 2 Yale
Friday, Feb. 25 : 6 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 26: 3 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 27: 3 p.m., if necessary