Yale Athletics

The Yale women’s ice hockey team (15–10–2, 10–9–1 ECAC) had two massive home victories this past weekend over Ivy League foes Dartmouth (4–19–3, 2–15–3 ECAC) and Harvard (2–22–2, 1–18–1 ECAC). Not only were the Bulldogs able to extend their current winning streak to four games, but they also earned a 3-0 Senior Day victory on Saturday over the Crimson.  

“It was a very special day, from celebrating the senior class with the team before the game to beating Harvard, to more moments with the team and families afterwards,” senior forward Anna Bargman ’25 told the News. “We played as a team, and we played for each other which I think showed through our relentless pressure for the full 60 minutes of play.”

On Friday night at Ingalls, the Elis fell behind just seven minutes into the game. However, from that point forward, they showed the type of offensive firepower that Head Coach Mark Bolding has to be excited about going into the upcoming ECAC playoffs. First, junior sensation Jordan Ray ’26 made a nifty move at the blue line to get past a Dartmouth defender before sliding a beautiful pass to Gracie Gilkyson ’26 for a backdoor goal to tie the game at one.

Yale took the lead with a goal by Carina DiAntonio ’26, who set up in front of the Dartmouth goalie and got a pass from behind the goal line from Bargman. Later in the second period, the Bulldogs went up 3-1 with a Sophia Levering ’28 seeing-eye slapshot from the top of the right circle. This kind of quick thinking on the offensive end will be crucial for the Bulldogs to keep in mind this upcoming weekend with their back-to-back games versus Cornell and Colgate.

In the third, Levering again fired a puck on net and created a scoring chance. This time, her shot was deflected past the Dartmouth tender by Bargman for Yale’s fourth goal and the 50th of Bargman’s career. Jordan Ray ’26 added a fifth for the Elis, and the final score finished with a dominant 5-2 win. 

The following day marked Yale’s Senior Day for the 11 seniors on the women’s hockey team. The senior class, according to Naomi Boucher ’26, has truly left a sizable impact on the program both on and off the ice.

“As a senior class full of incredibly talented players, they have played a crucial role in turning the program around, helping the team reach the Frozen Four in their freshman year,” Boucher told the News. “Over the past three years since I’ve played at Yale, they have been great mentors and leaders to me, and their impact on this program is immeasurable. Beyond their skill on the ice, this senior class has shaped the culture of our team, and it will be very hard to see them go after the season is over.” 

Saturday’s game was almost a complete reversal of the November matchup between Yale and Harvard where the Crimson bested the Elis 5-1 in Cambridge. This time, it was Yale who dominated the play. 

In the scoreless first period, the Bulldogs outshot Harvard 10-1, and the puck possession remained just as lopsided for the rest of the game, with the final shots totaling 32 for Yale and just nine for Harvard.

Bargman once again showcased her offensive prowess when she broke the scoring open in the early minutes of the third period, off a pass from DiAntonio. Stephanie Stainton ’27 doubled the lead just seven minutes later before Bargman scored again to seal a 3-0 home victory. 

For the senior class, this type of Senior Day performance was something they won’t soon forget. 

“It was a very special day, from celebrating the senior class with the team before the game to beating Harvard, to more moments with the team and families afterwards,” Bargman told the News. “We played as a team and we played for each other which I think showed through our relentless pressure for the full 60 minutes of play.” 

Currently, the Bulldogs sit tied for fifth in the ECAC standings with just two games remaining in the regular season. If the team’s dominant showing against Harvard is any indication, they have lots to be confident about. 

“With the season coming to an end, we are focused on keeping positive energy and having fun with the game,” Avery Peters ’28 told the News. “We play our best hockey when the energy is high.”

Yale currently sits just 2.5 points behind fourth palace Clarkson (20–10–2, 11–8–1 ECAC) in the ECAC standings. Moving ahead of the Golden Knights by winning both of their weekend games, contingent on Clarkson losing one of theirs, would guarantee the Bulldogs a first-round bye.