Bobcats Make Changes Prior to ECAC Play

Courtesy: Quinnipiacbobcats.com

Bobcats Make Changes Prior to ECAC Play

By Brian Farrell, QBSN Hockey Reporter

When a season doesn’t start the way that a team wants it to there are only so many changes that a team can make on the collegiate level. There are no trades or free agents, but there are some roster moves that can be made.

Last weekend Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey head coach Rick Seeley and his staff made one of those changes. Senior assistant captain and last year’s top defensive player Bethany Dymarczyk switched to forward, while junior Wisconsin transfer Breann Frykas moved back from forward to play defense.

To any person with average hockey knowledge this move would raise an eyebrow or two, but Quinnipiac’s coaching staff saw something. So much so that the team decided to add sophomore Shelby Wignall to the list of blue liners that will turn forward this weekend.

“[Dymarczyk and Wignall] are more aggressive playing forward…” Seeley said. “I think there’s less pressure that your mistakes will end up in the back of the net at forward and they’ve got a little bit of that pressure off their backs and they’re just having fun.”

The 5-10 Dymarczyk and 5-9 Wignall bring a whole different look at the forward position.

“They’ve both got such huge wingspans and they’re proving to be pretty good forecheckers,” Seeley said.

Along with moving two giants, QU has moved forward speedster Frykas to a different spot.

“With Frykas on D it gives us speed on D we just don’t have back there. She gives us the ability to pick off a pass and in two steps be blowing by the forecheck.”

Along with some of these radical changes, the Bobcats are still looking to do what they’ve done in the past: out work the other team. For the skating positions it is easier to judge than with one of Quinnipiac’s usual strengths—goaltending.

In the past two seasons Victoria Vigilanti proved to be one of the best between the pipes. This year she is struggling with a 3.42 goals-against average and a save percentage just over .880.

“Vigilanti is her own biggest critic,” Seeley said. “When she isn’t playing well, she knows it. She has worked hard in practice this week on her focus and decision making. I am sure we’ll see the Vigy we’ve come to expect this weekend”

With these recent changes the team is looking to get back on track with their first conference games this weekend.

“We’ve worked hard this week understanding where we have to improve our game and stepping up our commitment to executing well. We’ve had a pretty spirited week of practice.”

A slow start to the season is not the worst thing that can happen to a team, but to be able to overcome that start can be uplifting as the season progresses. Last season the Bobcats played their best hockey during the playoffs and the good news is that after losing just one regular skater from last year this team has that same potential.

Quinnipiac hits the road this weekend when the travel to RPI on Friday and then to Union on Saturday. Both start times are set for 3 PM.