NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Rhianna Kurio leveled the score with just 16 seconds remaining in regulation on an unassisted goal to give the Dutchwomen a tie against the Bulldogs at Ingalls Rink Saturday afternoon.
 
This is the third time the Dutchwomen have scored a game-tying goal this season and the second that Kurio has scored. Both of her game-tying goals have come when Union has opted for the extra skater in the final moments this season. Additionally, this is the second time Union and Yale have skated to a 1-1 draw. Maddie Dahl earned her first collegiate start as a goaltender. The Edina, Minn. native appeared in four games this season as a substitute.
 
Union (7-21-4, 0-16-4 ECAC Hockey) held a 13-5 shot advantage in the first period, but sophomore goalie Jaimie Leonoff kept the Dutchwomen off the scoreboard, converting all 13 saves. Freshman forward Jessica Kaminsky had the best chance for Union in the first period as she skated into the right circle and dropped a pass back to forward Christine Valente for a wide-open shot. Leonoff made the stick save to keep the game scoreless. The Bulldogs responded when sophomore forward Lynn Kennedy deflected a shot by junior defenseman Aurora Kennedy, but Union goalie Maddie Dahl came up with the pad save. Leonoff was ambushed with shots by senior forwards Jeannie Sabourin and Nicole Bartlett just before the buzzer but the netminder came up with the saves.
 
The game's first penalty came late in the second stanza, and the Bulldog penalty-killing unit came up with the stop. Leonoff faced rapid-fire chances, as her save on Valente was followed up by a pair of saves on forward Bryanne Panchuk. Kate Martini was then able to clear the zone right before the second period buzzer sounded.
 
Dahl was tested in the final period of regulation when junior forwards Ashley Dunbar and Patricia McGauley came in to the Union zone on a 2-on-1 in the opening minutes. However, Dahl was able to make the save on Dunbar's shot and deflected the rebound out of the reach of McGauley on the right wing.
 
The Bulldogs (4-19-3, 3-13-3 ECAC Hockey) struck first when senior forward Danielle Moncion set up junior defenseman Tara Tomimoto for a shot that was blocked by Union defenseman Ashley Johnston. The puck found Martini between the faceoff circles as she blasted a slap shot that hit the cross bar loudly and went in to put Yale up 1-0.
 
The Dutchwomen found themselves on the power play as Jamie Gray was sent to the penalty box for tripping. Despite Union's efforts, Yale extending their streak of successful penalty kills to 29. Entering the final two minutes of regulation, the Dutchwomen pulled Dahl for the extra skater. After a pair of saves by Leonoff from Valente, a clearing attempt by freshman forward Jamie Haddad wound up just missing the empty net. With the faceoff back in Yale's zone, the Bulldogs called timeout. As the game entered the final seconds, forward Rhianna Kurio skated in from the blue line and took advantage of a screen on Leonoff to slip one past her and tie the game.
 
Overtime saw both teams earning chances to break the deadlock at one. Leonoff sticked aside a shot by forward Courtney Turner with 3:30 to play, but Shenae Lundberg -- who came on for Dahl in the final seconds of regulation -- kicked aside a shot by Lynn Kennedy that was set up by freshman forward Hanna Åström right after that.
 
After forward Jessica Kaminsky sent a one-timer wide, Leonoff made a save on forward Stefanie Thomson with two minutes to play. The Bulldogs had multiple chances on offense after that, but Lundberg stopped them all. Moncion hustled to a loose puck in the Union zone and was able to backhand one on net that Lundberg just barely covered up. Lundberg then made saves on shots by Martini, Haddad and Tomimoto in the final minute. Leonoff made a pair of saves in the final seconds to finish with 31 for the game.
 
Union held the edge in shots 32-27. Lundberg was credited with the tie as she now holds a record of 6-16-4. Leonoff was also credited with the tie as her record stands at 4-16-3. Neither team recorded a goal on the power play as the squads went 0-for-2 on the afternoon. Yale held the edge in faceoffs with a 27-25 advantage.
 
With the loss against Brown last night, the Dutchwomen have officially been eliminated from playoff contention this season. Union will return to Messa Rink to play their final two games of the regular season. The Dutchwomen will host Colgate on Friday, February 22 at 7:00 p.m. and first-place Cornell on Saturday, February 23 at 4:00 p.m.