HAMDEN — After a promising first game of the ECAC Playoffs, Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey dropped game two of the ECAC Quarterfinal series against the Brown University Bears 3-2 in overtime on Saturday afternoon.

“I think we played a better game today as a team,” head coach Cass Turner said.

In game one, the Bobcats were able to capitalize early and often on the chances they got. Tonight on the other hand was a completely different story. With sophomore goaltender Anya Zupkofska in net for the Bears, their blue line was able to stop the offensive onslaught from Quinnipiac.

“She’s a great goalie,” Turner said. “We have to continue to make them uncomfortable.”

On offense, Brown struggled to generate chances against the Quinnipiac defense, as the Bobcats outshot the Bears 15-7 in the first period. But as the saying goes, all it takes is one to shift the momentum.

In the closing minutes of the opening frame, the Bears broke through. Senior forward Jade Iginla poked the puck past a Bobcat defender and into open space, driving all the way to the net and beating sophomore goaltender Felicia Frank near-side to give the Bears an early lead.

Quinnipiac failed to generate a response until midway through the second where junior forward Kahlen Lamarche did what she does best.

Graduate student forward Laurence Frenette picked up a loose puck and sent a beautiful feed in between two Brown defenders to Lamarche at the backdoor where she launched the puck past an outstretched Zupkofska, tying the game at a goal apiece.

“(Frenette) is that player that makes the little plays that make a big difference,” Turner said.

The momentum swing did not last long however, as six minutes after Lamarche got the Bobcats on the board, the Bears answered.

For the second time, Brown found themselves on the odd-man rush with Quinnipiac in the middle of its line change. Junior forward Margot Norehead found open space and rushed down the ice, sniping the puck past Frank once again to give Brown the lead heading into the final 20 minutes of play.

“They’re not afraid to make an extra pass on the rush and they’re not afraid to fire the puck on the rush,” Turner said.

With the Bobcats down for the second time, they needed to come out hot to clinch a trip to Lake Placid, N.Y. And come out hot they did.

A completely rejuvenated Bobcat lineup brought the pressure to the Bears, leveling shot after shot to Zupkofska and the Bears blue line. The Braintree, Mass. native stopped all of them, keeping Brown in the game as the 10 minute mark approached.

But when the Bobcats needed her the most, Lamarche delivered once again.

With senior forward Gali Levy in the box, the Bobcats found themselves on the man advantage for the first time all night. Sophomore defensemen Aynsley D’Ottavio dumped the puck to Lamarche, who weaved through the defense and threaded the needle past Zupkofska’s far side and into the back of the net.

That goal would be the last action either team would see for the remainder of the game, as the score remained tied at two by the end of regulation.

Just before the end of regulation, sophomore defensemen Victoria Damiani would be booked on an interference call, giving the Bobcats the man advantage for the first minute of overtime. In true Quinnipiac fashion, the team would create no shortage of offensive chances.

The biggest one came when senior center Tessa Holk battled through a tangle with a Brown defender, coming out on top and driving hard to the net. But as she did all game, Zupkofska made another great deflection to keep the score knotted at two..

Then, the dagger came.

Junior defender Sam Broz stopped graduate student defender Mia Lopata in her tracks, which in turn created yet another odd-man rush. Broz dished the puck to Norehead, who buried the game winner.

Quinnipiac now looks to Sunday, March 1 as they take on the Brown Bears one final time in the ECAC playoffs. Puck drop for the winner takes all game in Hamden is set for 2 p.m.