Quinnipiac ties Nebraska-Omaha in overtime

Quinnipiac ties Nebraska-Omaha in overtime

By Kevin Noonan, QBSN Staff Writer

The Quinnipiac Bobcats tied the University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks 2-2 in overtime Friday night to remain undefeated in the month of December.  It’s the first of a two game series between the teams on the weekend.

Playing in front of 9,117 at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb., the Bobcats and Mavericks traded goals throughout regulation before ending the overtime game tied at two.   The Bobcats gave up the game-tying goal at the 11:42 mark in the third period of regulation.

Quinnipiac had all of its offensive weapons back in action in the contest with the return of both Connor and Kellen Jones (Montrose, British Columbia) to the lineup.  Despite their return, Quinnipiac was outshot by Nebraska-Omaha 36-22.   It was the lowest shot total on the season for the Bobcats, with the previous low being 26 against Harvard on Nov. 5.

The first goal for the Bobcats came off the stick of junior Russell Goodman (Saskatoon, Sask.) halfway through the first period.  Junior Jeremy Langlois (Tempe, Ariz.) had beaten two Maverick defenders before being tripped up and making a no-look pass from the seat of his pants to Goodman.  The goal was Goodman’s third of the season, with Langlois getting his eighth assist and junior Ben Arnt (Oakdale, Minn.) notching his fourth.

At the 16:04 mark of the first period, the Mavericks tied the game up with a goal of their own.  Brent Gwidt received a centering pass from Johnnie Searfoss.  Gwidt’s goal was his fourth of the season, while Searfoss was credited with his seventh assist.

The game remained scoreless until 19:04 into the second period when the Bobcats regained the lead with a goal from senior Yuri Bouharevich (Montreal, Quebec).  Kellen played the puck up the ice to brother, Connor.  Bouharevich wristed the cross-ice pass from Connor to score his fifth goal of the season.  Connor was awarded his 13^th assist and Kellen got his 10^th.

Nebraska-Omaha was unable to retaliate until 11:42 had been played in the third period, where they tied the game for good on Ryan Walter’s seventh goal of the season.  Zahn Raubenheimer’s initial shot was deflected by Bobcat junior goaltender Eric Hartzell (White Bear Lake, Minn.).  The rebound went straight back to Walters, who beat Hartzell with his shot. 

Both Quinnipiac and Nebraska-Omaha had many good opportunities to win the game in overtime, but neither side was able to capitalize. 

Hartzell stopped 34 of the 36 shots he faced in the game, while counterpart John Faulkner stopped 20 of the 22 shots from the Bobcats. 

Quinnipiac recorded its fourth tie of the season, although the Bobcats have not won a game in overtime.  The Bobcats are now 0-1-4 in overtime on the 2011-2012 season. 

Quinnipiac’s record is now 11-6-4 overall, with Nebraska-Omaha’s record at 9-8-4.  The weekend series concludes Dec. 31 for a New Year’s Eve showdown with the puck dropping at 3:37 p.m. (EST).

Bobcats ring in New Year at Nebraska-Omaha

Bobcats ring in New Year at Nebraska-Omaha

By Kevin Noonan, QBSN Staff Writer

After 19 days off from games, the Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey team (11-6-3, 3-4-3 ECAC) returns to action for a weekend series at the University of Nebraska-Omaha (9-8-3, 7-4-3 WCHA).  Both games will be hosted by the UNO Mavericks at the CenturyLink Center at 8 p.m. (EST) on Dec. 30 and 3 p.m. (EST) on Dec. 31.

The Bobcats are riding a five game unbeaten streak, getting wins in their last weekend series against Sacred Heart University and Princeton University.  Quinnipiac defeated the Sacred Heart Pioneers 6-1 in a non-conference matchup.

In the Sunday matinee, the Bobcats defeated their ECAC foe, the Princeton Tigers, 3-2.  Quinnipiac scored the first three goals of the game before allowing two goals in the final five minutes of the game.  Leading the offense for Quinnipiac was junior Zack Currie (Victoria, British Columbia), scoring two goals on the afternoon.  Senior Kevin Bui (Edmonton, Alb.) scored his first goal of the season for Bobcats in the second period.  Junior netminder Eric Hartzell (White Bear Lake, Minn.) stopped 36 of 38 shots and was able to fend of the Tigers late game attack in the final minutes.

The Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks were defeated 1-0 by the No. 18 University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux.  Freshman goaltender Ryan Massa stopped 31 of 32 shots in the loss.  On the season, Massa has allowed 2.68 goals per game and a save percentage of .900.  Senior John Faulkner has seen more action in net for the Mavericks.  In 10 starts, Faulkner has allowed 3.03 goals per game and a save percentage of .873.  The offense has been lead by junior Terry Broadhurst who has scored 14 goals and assisted nine more for 23 points.  Sophomore Matt White leads the team in points with 25 from his nine goals and 16 assists. 

Keys for the Bobcats:

Quinnipiac hopes to get their sophomore tandem of Connor and Kellen Jones (Montrose, British Columbia) back on the ice.  Connor has not played since Dec. 2 against Union, while Kellen has not played since Nov. 26 against Massachusetts.  Freshman Matthew Peca (Petawawa, Ontario) has scored one goal in the last 12 games and has recorded six assists in the same amount of time.  If he can regain his offensive strength, the Bobcats can continue to be strong offensively.  Defense has been fairly consistent all season long, and if it can continue to be top notch at Nebraska-Omaha, the Bobcats will be in good shape.  Look for Quinnipiac to split the goaltending between Clarke and Hartzell in the weekend, as they have typically done all season long.

Keys for the Mavericks:

Nebraska-Omaha has been inconsistent all season long.  Despite a 9-8-3 record, they have not swept a weekend since Oct. 21-22 vs. University of Alaska-Anchorage.  Goaltending has been good for the Mavericks all year long, split between Massa and Faulkner.  Look for a split of the goaltending between the two.  The offense has been lead by White and Broadhurst.  The defense for Nebraska-Omaha has been consistent all year long, allowing three goals or less in 15 of the 20 games.

Last Meeting:

The Bobcats are 2-0 all time against the University of Nebraska-Omaha, winning a home series on the 30 and 31 of last December.  The Bobcats won 4-3 in the first ever meeting and 3-2 in the second.  Current senior Scott Zurevinski (Saskatoon, Sask.) lead the Bobcats with two goals in the first game and current junior Loren Barron (Glendora, Calif.) had three assists as well.  Hartzell recorded 53 saves in the matchup.  Current Maverick juniors Bryce Aneloski and Brent Gwidt and former senior Matt Ambroz each had one goal apiece, while Faulkner had 23 saves in net.

In the second game, current junior Russell Goodman (Saskatoon, Sask.) scored two goals and former senior Zach Hansen (White Bear Lake, Minn.) scored a goal.  Hartzell started the second game, recording 44 saves.  Senior Joey Martin and White each scored goals for the Mavericks, while former freshman Mike Taffe got the loss in net for the Mavericks, splitting time in the game with Faulkner.  Look for two more one goal games this season between the Mavericks and the Bobcats.

Men’s hockey preps for second half challenges

Men’s hockey preps for second half challenges

By Marty Joseph, QBSN Staff Writer

Preview of Second Half:

The Bobcats get back into action on Dec. 30 and 31 with a two-game set at Nebraska-Omaha. ECAC actions starts back up on Jan. 6 with a huge match-up against rival Yale. The Bulldogs have been talked about as the biggest disappointment in the ECAC to this point, so look for it to be a statement game for both teams.

The Bobcats need to continue their home-ice success in a four-game home stand that brings Cornell, Colgate, Harvard and Dartmouth to High Point Solutions Rink in late January and early February. The home stand could turn around the team’s season in the ECAC and allow the team to move up in the Conference. Following the home stand, the Bobcats travel to St. Lawrence, Clarkson, Rensselaer and Union in mid-February for their final road trip of the regular season. The stretch could make or break the Bobcats’ season, but look for the team to be motivated heading into the road trip.

The Bobcats wrap-up regular season play with a pair of games on Feb. 24 and 25 as they host Brown and Yale. The High Point Solutions Rink will be packed on that Saturday in the game against Yale for the 10^th Anniversary of the Heroes Hat Championship. The game marks the sixth time the Bobcats and the Bulldogs will battle for the Championship. The Bobcats have won eight of nine Heroes Hat Championships, but look for revenge from last year’s 6-1 loss to Yale in the game.

What Needs to Be Continued:

The obvious strength of the Bobcats thus far has been the team’s play at High Point Solutions Rink. The team owns an 8-1-2 record on home ice which makes them the most dominant team at home in the ECAC. The Bobcats have been a dominant team in the first period of games all season long, out-scoring opponents 27-7 in the opening frame, and they own a 10-1-2 record when leading after the first period.

The team needs to continue its dominance in the shot category. Out-shooting opponents 737-445 this season gives the Bobcats one of the top offensive attacks in the nation in the category. One of the most underrated statistics the Bobcats have succeeded with this season is the team’s ability to kill penalties. The team has killed 89.4 percent of its penalties, which ranks the team fifth in the nation.

The Bobcats need their top players to continue to contribute the way they have been. Jeremy Langlois (Tempe, Ariz.) leads the team with 12 goals and 19 points; the tandem of Connor and Kellen Jones (Montrose, British Columbia) rank second and fifth respectively on the team with 17 and 14 points, and goaltender Eric Hartzell (White Bear Lake, Minn.) has been on one of the most dominant streaks in his career. Hartzell has gone eight consecutive starts holding the opposition to two or fewer goals and is currently ranked among the top goaltenders in the nation with a .911 save percentage and 2.02 goals against average. Look for these players to continue their play in the second half for the Bobcats.

What Needs to Be Improved:

ECAC Conference play is first on the agenda if the team looks to be in the discussion as one of the threats to win the Conference. The Bobcats did not play well in conference games during the month of November posting a 1-4-2 record, as goal scoring was the clear problem during the entire month. The team got it together in December posting a 2-0-1 record in the ECAC and owns the third seed in the conference but a sub .500 record in the ECAC is not where the Bobcats would like to be at the end of the season.

Sixty-minute efforts in games have been a small problem for the Bobcats as well.  Jumping out to big leads is what the team has been doing all season, but recently the team has allowed opponents to get back into games. The team held a 2-0 lead against Union, but was unable to hold off the Dutchmen and the game resulted in a 2-2 tie. In their final game before the break, the Bobcats jumped out to a 3-0 lead against Princeton and barely hung on for a 3-2 win. It hasn’t killed the Bobcats to this point, but look for the Bobcats to improve upon sustaining leads in games and not allowing opponents to get back into games in which the Bobcats own big leads during.

Struggling to score goals was the biggest reason for the Bobcats slump during the month of November. Recently it has looked like the team has solved the problem rolling into the break with a 4-0-1 record in its past five games. The Bobcats need to come out of the break focused on getting back to offensive force they were in October with key ECAC games in the month of January.

“Hockey Night” crew picks first half superlatives, pt. 2

“Hockey Night” crew picks first half superlatives, pt. 2

By Marty Joseph and Brian Farrell

Men’s Ice Hockey

Most Valuable Player: Jeremy Langlois

MJ - No doubt about this one, Langlois is the MVP of this team so far. He leads the team with 12 goals and 19 points, and his six power play goals have him tied for second in the nation. He has been the biggest difference maker for the Bobcats all season. The Bobcats are 6-0-2 when he scores a goal, just proving his importance to this team.

Breakout Player of the First Half: Zach Tolkinen

MJ - You can’t help but love what Tolkinen brings to this team. Tolkinen has stepped up and solidified himself as a presence on the blue-line. He has improved from three points in 25 games last season to two goals and eight points in 17 games this season. His intensity and physical play has been vital to the Bobcats success this season along with his heavy shot which makes him a key aspect to the Bobcat’s power play.

Player to Watch: Eric Hartzell

MJ - The toughest thing for a goaltender is playing through adversity and remaining positive. The Bobcats goal scoring slump in the month of November lead to losses and ties in games that Hartzell played well enough to win. With the slump apparently over, look for Hartzell to excel down the stretch and remain on his current puck-stopping tear.

Most Valuable Player: Jeremy Langlois

BF - He’s been a go-to all season long for goals. Without him, the QU power play doesn’t perform like it did at the beginning of the year.

Breakout Player of the First Half: Zach Tolkinen

BF - Tolkinen has been a beast the past few weekends. He was the key player in the Union tie and the RPI win. Those games proved to be major points, and he was a big part of that.

Player to Watch: Ben Arnt

BF - Ben Arnt is a player that has flown under the radar this season. I see him having potential to make a spot for himself on the top two lines next season and during the second half of the season I see that happening.

Women’s Ice Hockey

Most Valuable Player: Kelly Babstock

MJ - Clear MVP of the team. Her 11 goals and 24 points lead the team. Her 13 assists also is tied for the team lead which shows her two-dimensional ability. Look for her to continue her success in the second half of the season.

Breakout Player of the First Half: Nicole Kosta

MJ - Kosta has exceeded her expectations as a freshman. Her 13 assists are tied for the team lead with Kelly Babstock. Her +9 rating also leads the team in that category and shows she has been on the ice and contributing in key parts of games.

Player to Watch: Breann Frykas

MJ - Frykas is slowly starting to come around for the Bobcats. It’s never easy learning a new system and it takes time to become fully involved. Now with the first half of the season in the books, look for Frykas to come out strong in the second half. Coming from Wisconsin, she’ll bring key playoff leadership to the Bobcats during the ECAC tournament.

Most Valuable Player: Kelly Babstock

BF - When Babstock doesn’t score the Bobcats just aren’t the same team. Babstock has paved the way for Bobcat forwards, and she has shown that some of the nation’s best can play in Hamden.

Breakout Player of the First Half: Nicole Kosta

BF - Kosta has proven to be a powerful second option, and it shows in the statistics.

Player to Watch: Breann Frykas

BF - Frykas is starting to turn things on. She’s played defense and forward, and now that she knows what it’s like to play defense, I see her being able to play smarter as a forward.

"Hockey Night" crew picks first half superlatives, pt. 1

“Hockey Night” crew picks first half superlatives, pt. 1

By Mark Spillane and Giovanni Mio

Men’s Ice Hockey

Most Valuable Player: Jeremy Langlois

MS -  Langlois is the team’s MVP thus far in my opinion, and here’s why: the junior from Tempe, Arizona leads the team with 12 goals, which ranks second in the ECAC. He also leads the team with 19 points, which has been good enough for third in the conference. When he really excels is on the power play. With the man advantage, Langlois has scored a conference leading six times, and has even added two game winners to his stat sheet this year. He does an outstanding job playing the center position on the first line, despite having several different line-mates due to injuries. His production has clearly bolstered the team as he has tallied 14 points in the 10 Bobcat wins that he has played in.

Breakout Player of the First Half: Matthew Peca

MS - The Quinnipiac breakout player of the year has to be freshman forward Matthew Peca. Peca did not come into Quinnipiac as an unknown freshman by any means. In fact, Peca had shown his prowess before by recording nearly a point-per-game for the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) with 119 points in 120 games. Peca used his abilities to lead Pembroke to a 51-9-0 record and the 2011 National Championship. This year he has provided a tremendous spark for the Bobcats by tallying four goals and 11 assists in 19 games played. In the absence of the Jones twins, Peca excelled by scoring a goal and two assists in three games, helping lead the Bobcats to three victories.

Player to Watch: Scott Zurevinski

MS - The player to watch for the remainder of the Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey season is senior captain Scott Zurevinski. Zurevinski has scored just four goals this season after scoring 16 his sophomore year, and 14 his junior year. The slow goal scoring start has not affected his other play, as he has still contributed 11 assists, which is second on the team and tied for fourth in the ECAC. However, lately the captain has begun to show some extra life. He has recorded five points within the last four contests, including goals in two of the last three. His strong play of late has him primed for a strong season ending run, and he should be a force until season’s end.

Most Valuable Player: Jeremy Langlois

GM - I’m big when it comes to goals, and Langlois has been the most productive so far. He leads the team with 12 goals on the season along with 19 points. Although he hasn’t produced in the last few games, Langlois has been the key player to go to in the opposing zone.

Breakout Player of the First Half: Eric Hartzell

GM - I say Hartzell has been the surprise player this half because of his production this season. At the beginning of the year, head coach Rand Pecknold had to pick between Hartzell and Dan Clarke. Once Pecknold picked Hartzell, he’s been the first goalie ever since. Along with winning the most creative goalie mask contest, Hartzell has been mainly lights out, allowing less than two goals a game. He has helped the Bobcats keep a tight record of 8-1-2 at home.

Player to Watch: Scott Zurevinski

GM - Last season Zurevinski had 14 goals and was a very productive player. This year, the captain hasn’t put up impressive numbers at this point. He’s played in all 20 games, but only has scored four goals so far. Zurevinski recently broke a point streak and goal streak, so I’m expecting him to go nuts to end the season.

Women’s Ice Hockey

 Most Valuable Player: Kelly Babstock

MS - Kelly Babstock is the clear and obvious choice for this award. She is easily the team’s most talented player and has shown it by leading the Bobcats with 11 goals and 13 assists. Those numbers are good enough for 24 points, which ranks third in the entire ECAC.

Breakout Player of the First Half: Nicole Kosta

MS - The breakout player has to be freshman forward Nicole Kosta. The Mississauga, Ontario native has burst onto the scene this year with 13 assists, tying her with Babstock for the team-lead; she also leads the team with a plus/minus of +9. Coming into Quinnipiac as a former member of the Canadian U-18 team, the expectations were there, and she exceeded them.

Player to Watch: Breann Frykas

MS - Speaking of expectations, the player to watch, in my opinion, for the remainder of the season is junior forward, Breann Frykas. Frykas came into this season as a transfer from the University of Wisconsin, last year’s NCAA national champions, with a lot of high hopes from the Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey community. After a relatively slow start, Frykas has begun to turn it on by recording a point in six of the Bobcats’ last seven games, all victories. That kind of production from Frykas combined with the likes of Kosta and Babstock will make the Bobcats incredibly tough to beat come tournament time.

Most Valuable Player: Kelly Babstock

GM - This is almost unanimous. If Kelly Babstock wasn’t on the Bobcats women’s ice hockey team, the team would be seventh in the conference at best. She leads the Bobcats with 11 goals, 13 assists, and 24 points. As a matter of fact, she’s the all-time leading scorer in the Quinnipiac program as a SOPHOMORE. You can tell she’s the leader by the way she demands the puck and how she plays.

Breakout Player of First Half: Chelsea Laden

GM - When Victoria Vigilanti starts to have a bad game, Coach Rick Seeley has an option in Laden. In her performances so far this season, the freshman has a 2-1-0 record with a .917 save percentage, higher than Vigilanti. It’s a pleasant surprise indeed.

Player to Watch: Breann Frykas

GM - Coming from Wisconsin, I expect Frykas to start to perform a lot better with the chemistry. She’s only had six goals and five assists, but give it time and you’ll see the Frykas we’re expecting. Only 18 years old and on the U-18 National team, Babstock and Frykas will be a force come playoff time.