Knapp’s Overtime Goal Sinks No. 11 Brown Women’s Hockey in Mayor’s Cup Clash
Brown University’s No. 11-ranked women’s hockey team suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime loss to Providence College in the annual Mayor’s Cup matchup on Saturday, November 29th, at Meehan Auditorium. Audrey Knapp scored the game-winning goal for the Friars at 2:46 of the extra period, securing the victory after a tightly contested battle. The defeat marks the first overtime loss for the Bears in their last nine games.
Early Lead Squandered in Back-and-Forth Contest
The Bears jumped out to an early advantage in the first period, capitalizing on a faceoff win in the offensive zone. Zoe Li orchestrated the play, sending a pass to Olivia Fantino who swiftly fired a one-timer past Providence goaltender Hope Walinski glove-side, putting Brown ahead 1-0 at 1:43. This marked Fantino’s fastest goal of the season and the quickest goal scored by Brown in a game since October 19, 2022.
Providence responded in the second period with a goal from Kiara Kraft, who found the back of the net with a shot that deflected off the crossbar. The score was tied 1-1. Just over four minutes later, the Friars took the lead after a fortunate bounce off the endboards landed directly on the tape of Audrey Knapp at the faceoff circle. Knapp capitalized on the opportunity, beating Brown’s goaltender Anya Zupkofska to make it 2-1.
Late Rally and Overtime Heartbreak
Brown refused to concede, mounting a determined comeback in the third period. With nine minutes remaining, a Providence turnover led to a breakaway for the Bears. Fantino dished a pass to Ava DeCoste, who scored her first goal of the season to tie the game at 2-2. The Bears nearly took the lead moments later, but Margot Norehad’s breakaway attempt hit the post, keeping the score level.
Providence ultimately controlled the majority of the overtime period. Despite a save by Zupkofska on a rush, the puck remained in the offensive zone, eventually landing in front of the Brown net. Zupkofska was unable to secure the puck before Knapp flipped it into the back of the net, completing her second goal of the game and sealing the 3-2 victory for the Friars.
Key Stats and Upcoming Matchup
Anya Zupkofska finished the game with 28 saves, her second-highest total of the season, and has recorded 20 or more saves in five of her six starts this year. Notably, the Bears did not commit a single penalty throughout the entire game – a first for the team this season. Despite the loss, Brown had been dominant at home, boasting a 6-1-0 record and a five-game winning streak at Meehan Auditorium prior to Saturday’s contest.
Brown will conclude their Thanksgiving weekend schedule by hosting the University of New Hampshire on Sunday, November 30th, with puck drop scheduled for 4 p.m. Following the game, the team will host a “Skate with the Bears” event for fans in attendance.
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