Ward scores twice, Leonoff helps Whale stop New York for 10th win

Connecticut’s Yekaterina Smolentseva, left, celebrates with Danielle Ward, who had two goals in Saturday night’s win over New York at Yale.

NEW HAVEN – Connecticut Whale forward Danielle Ward scored two goals and goalie Jamie Leonoff returned to the lineup to help the Whale beat the New York Riveters for the fourth time this season with a 4-3 win in National Women’s Hockey League action before nearly 900 fans at Ingalls Rink on the campus of Yale University Saturday.

Connecticut improved to 10-1 and extended its lead over second place Boston (7-3-1) to five points. It was the first home game at Ingalls Rink for the Whale, who normally play their home games at Chelsea Pier in Stamford. Connecticut hosts Buffalo at 6 p.m. on Sunday to put a cap on a busy weekend.

Leonoff, who missed two games recovering from an ulcer, made 32 saves to pick up her league-leading seventh victory. It was her first game since beating New York in a shootout on December 13.

“As the game went along I felt better,” she said. “This was my second day back. I had four or five weeks off due to the injury. But I am better now. It’s always hard to get that first game back under your belt.”

Connecticut goalie Jamie Leonoff made 32 saves to win her seventh game of the season Saturday night.

The win came in familiar territory for Leonoff, who graduated from Yale last spring. She won 26 games in net for the Eli in her colleigate career. Connecticut’s teammate Tara Tomimoto also played at Yale, graduating in 2014. Whale teammate Jessica Koizumi had a busy afternoon. She is an assistant coach with Yale, which played a game against St. Lawerence before the NWHL debut at Ingalls.

The Whale took a 1-0 lead on Shiann Darkangelo’s team-leading ninth goal of the year with just 2:05 gone in the game. She flipped in the puck that got past Riveter goalie Nana Fujimoto. New York tied the game on a shorthanded goalie from Janine Weber with 7:01 left in the period. It came shortly after the Whale had killed off a 5-on-3 situation when Connecticut took two penalties in 90 seconds.

Ward’s two goals in the second period extended the Whale lead to 3-1. Brittany Dougherty had two assists while Kaleigh Fratkin and Yekaterina Smolentseva also had assists. “My linemates worked their butts off and got me the puck,” said Ward, who has scored three goals this year. “They did all of the work.”

New York’s Brooke Ammerman scored the first of her two goals to cut the Whale lead to one goal, 3-2 early in the third period. But Connecticut extended its lead back to two when Kelli Stack scored on an outstanding goal. Driving hard to the net, she deflected in a pass from Kelly Babstock with 6:49 left in the game.

“They always seem to have an answer for us. That’s the sign of a good team,” Ammerman said. “They know how to win. They’re very offensive. They take a lot of chances but they always seem to finish. They’re quick.”

The larger ice surface at Yale was well suited to Connecticut’s play. “There is a lot more space behind the net here than at Chelesa Pier,” Ward said. “So we tried to use that space to our advantage and work the puck down low.”

Connecticut played well defensively in front of Leonoff. The Whale was outshot by New York, 35-28.

Shannon Doyle share a smile with girls hockey players from Greenwich before Saturday night’s game with New York at Yale’s Ingalls Rink.

Connecticut will play four of its remaining home games at Chelsea Pier. They will play their Feb. 7 contest against Buffalo at Danbury Arena. They are open to returning to Ingalls Rink in the future, Whale general manager George Speirs said.

“We haven’t decided what we’re doing for next season,” he said. “There is nothing that isn’t open for discussion. If there is a better venue or one that is more fan friendly, we’re definitely open to it.”

Connecticut 4, New York 3
At New Haven
New York (3-7-1)              1  0  2  — 3
Connecticut (10-1)           1  2  1  — 4
First period
Connecticut 1, Shiann Darkanagelo 9 (Alyssa Wohlfeiler), 2:05; New York 1, Janine Weber 3, 12:59 sh; Penalties – Kaleigh Fratkin (Connecticut), roughing, 4:34; Fratkin (Connecticut), interference, 8:34; Alyssa Wohlfeiler (Connecticut), cross checking, 10:00; Meghan Fardelman (New York), too many men, 12:26; Kelli Stack (Connecticut) charging, 14:18, Amber Moore (New York), interefernece, 17:02
Second period
Connecticut 2, Danielle Ward 2 (Yekaterina Smolentseva, Brittany Dougherty), 10:52; Connecticut 3, Ward 3 (Dougherty, Kaleigh Fratkin), 16:23; Penalties — none
Third period
New York 2, Brooke Ammerman 3 (Bray Ketchum), 3:52 pp; Connecticut 4, Kelli Stack 4 (Kelly Babstock), 13:11; New York 3, Ammerman 4 (Amber Moore, Celeste Brown, 15:08; Penalties – Tara Tomimoto (Connecticut) cross checking, 2:18; Alyssa Wohlfeiler (Connecticut), tripping, 4:13; Amber Moore (New York), tripping, 8:27; Sam Faber (Connecticut) check from behind, 8:32; Morgan Fritz Ward (New York) check from behind), 17:29
Shots on goal: New York 35 (8-12-15); Connecticut 28 (7-10-11)Goalies: Jamie Leonoff, Connecticut (W) 35 shots, 32 saves: Nana Fujimoto, New York (L), 28 shots, 24 saves
Power play: Connecticut 0-4, New York 1-7
Attendance: 893

NWHL standings
                            W-L-T     OL    Pts,
Connecticut         10-1-0     0       20
Boston                  7-3-1     1       15
New York              3-7-1     1       7
Buffalo                  2-7-2     2       6
Thursday, Dec. 31
Boston 1, Montreal 1, exhibition
Sunday, Jan. 3
Buffalo 4, Boston 3, OT
Connecticut 6, New York 1
Saturday, Jan. 9
Connecticut 4, New York 3
Sunday, Jan. 10
New York at Boston, 3 p.m.
Buffalo at Connecticut, 6 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 17
Connecticut at Boston, 3 p.m.
Buffalo at New York, 7 p.m.