Women's hockey breathes strong

Women’s hockey breathes strong

By Brian Farrell, QBSN Staff Writer

The snow began falling early Thursday evening about 80 miles Southeast of Potsdam, N.Y.  Nearly five hours were already in the books for the Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey team as it traveled from Hamden to Clarkson University for the ECAC quarterfinals.

It was the same Clarkson team that swept the Bobcats during the regular season. It was the same Clarkson team that had not lost at Cheel Arena since Oct. 29 against Harvard in overtime. A rink that had not seen the Golden Knights lose in regulation since February of 2011.

But as the old adage goes, “that’s why we play the game.”

As the DATTCO bus drudged through the long winding New York roads, signs began to emerge.

“Welcome to Lake Placid: Home of the 1932 and 1980 Olympics.” With Disney’s Miracle shining brightly through the bus’s TV screen, players and media personal alike began to wonder.

As the team entered the picturesque upstate New York town, head coach Rick Seeley stood up at the front of the bus and informed the team that the bus was a little ahead of schedule. Next stop: Herb Brooks Arena, the home of the most famous “that’s why we play the game” in American history.

So 32 years and one day removed, the Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey team stood in awe and excitement watching a pee-wee hockey practice in the very building where “The Miracle on Ice” happened. About 24 hours later, the Bobcats would be on the ice at Cheel Arena.

As the team walked the concourse, one couldn’t help but be inspired. In a winter of nearly no snow, the sight of a moderate flurry blanketing the 400 meter speed skating track outside the arena could do nothing more than send chills down one’s spine.

This is the environment that the game of hockey was meant to be in. The long bus rides, the seemingly endless snow, the hum of the zamboni engine, the smooth cold concrete of the concourse, the ear piercing train whistle, the vocal fans and that inexplicable smell that every rink possesses.

Was Quinnipiac on the verge of its own miracle on ice? No. The last time the U.S. played the Soviets before the Olympic Games the score was 10-3. The last time the Bobcats played Clarkson the score was 3-2 and a goal was disallowed with three seconds left in regulation.

The stop at Herb Brooks Arena was less of a reminder of an incredible moment in American history, but a simple example of why anyone involved with the game is lucky to be there. The quick layover became a momentary mental escape to a time when every hockey player was one of those pee-wee players dreaming of skating in the playoffs.

After scoring three goals in a span of two-minutes and 38-seconds within the first seven minutes of game one, the magic of a classic hockey road trip continued.

A 2-1 loss on Saturday was nothing more than a delay of the inevitable. As more Bobcats fans made the trip for game three, there was an air of confidence. Players and fans alike echoed the words of Confucius, “Take off the Knight's amour and the Knight's stand no chance.”

For many that made the trip on Sunday, there was no surprise that Quinnipiac arrived to the rink and put on a full 60 minute effort in the first elimination game of the season.

Quinnipiac players and fans will get to enjoy another weekend in a town where hockey breathes strong just like in Lake Placid and Potsdam. The puck drops at Lynah Rink in Ithaca, N.Y. at 3:30 p.m. on Friday.

Men's lacrosse drops home opener to Brown

Men’s lacrosse drops home opener to Brown

By Angelique Fiske, QBSN Publishing Editor

In spite of a three-goal effort by junior Basil Kostaras (Southlake, Texas), the Quinnipiac men’s lacrosse team could not shut down Brown’s offensive attack, falling 12-7 in its home opener.

courtesy: quinnipiacbobcats.com

The Bobcats took only a few minutes to get their five starting freshman acclimated to NEC play before striking down with a Kostaras goal in the first frame. 

The Bears countered the quick tempo with a breakaway goal just over a minute later.  Junior Alex Jones darted down the field to no opposition, tying the score 1-1. 

With an offensive fire lit underneath him, Kostaras ripped two more goals in the first to give the Bobcats their final lead of the game.  The opening frame ended with Quinnipiac up 3-2. 

The flip then switched and the second quarter belonged to Brown.  The Bears notched six goals by freshman goalkeeper Dylan Torey (Darien, Conn.) compared to Quinnipiac’s lone score by junior Brendan Wilbur (Hingham, Mass.).

“We’ve been talking a lot about the fact that either we control the game or the game controls us,” said Quinnipiac head coach Eric Fekete.  “I think we controlled the game in the first quarter, and I think that in the second quarter the game kind of got a hold on us.”

Brown managed to take command of the by tying, taking the lead and furthering it to a 5-3 hold in a single minute of action. 

Quinnipiac’s lone goal of the second arrived with less than 40-seconds to play.  Wilbur landed his second on the day as he fell to the ground, getting the ball in to the right side of the net.  Kostaras earned the assist.

While the Bobcats intended to ride the momentum from the much needed score, the Bears planned otherwise, answering the rallying goal with 10.9-seconds left before the conclusion of the half. 

The low-scoring second half put the final touches on the Bobcat defeat.  Quinnipiac got three by Will Round, while Brown did just one better with four. 

Quinnipiac combined for a total of 10 shots in the second half of play, a number that equaled the quantity of the second quarter alone.  The shots the Bobcats made in the latter half of the game, according to Fekete, came out of panic.

“I think we got a little desperate, feeling like we needed to score again right away,” Fekete said.

The Bobcats look ahead as they next face Air Force on March 3, knowing what adjustments need to be made.

“We’ve got to create defensive advantages into to offensive advantages,” Fekete said.

While the team welcomes 25 newcomers, including 23 freshmen, the Bobcats need to prove that they are mature and competitive enough to replicate their second place finish last year as they head into the rest of their season. 

Heroes Hat ends in draw, QU secures five-seed

Heroes Hat ends in draw, QU secures five-seed

By Angelique Fiske, QBSN Publishing Editor

The Heroes Hat game, by the right of rivalries, holds high expectations for unusual plays, freak-show goals and dramatic of soap opera proportions.  Even though scoring was limited to the confines of the second frame and ended in a 2-2 deadlock between the Quinnipiac Bobcats (17-11-6, 9-8-5 ECAC) and the Yale Bulldogs, (13-13-3, 10-10-2 ECAC) the game lived up to the hype in the form of an overtime thriller, backed by the electric crowd that filed in 90-minutes before the puck dropped.

courtesy: quinnipiacbobcats.com

The Bobcats ended the first period with the small remainder of a power play on the clock.  As the advantage expired at the beginning of the second period, Yale’s Jesse Root shot out of the penalty box directly into what became a breakaway goal just 29 seconds into the frame.

Junior Loren Barron sought out an equalizer just less than nine minutes later on a power play goal assisted by Connor Jones (Montrose, British Columbia) and Matthew Peca (Petawawa, Ontario).

Barron’s eighth goal of the season, however, did not give the Bobcats the lead for long.  Root would net another breakaway goal halfway through the period with help from Clinto Bourbonais.  This score came on a shorthanded venture after junior Antoine Laganiere was ejected due to a game misconduct.  The ejection resulted in a five-minute major penalty, but it did not stop the Bulldogs from capitalizing. 

Before the advantage ended, the line of Kellen and Connor Jones and Peca dug in yet again.  Kellen ripped a pass from the far side to a wide open Connor on the right side of the crease.  Connor wristed the puck by Yale’s Nick Maricic for his ninth goal of the year and second in as many days. 

In spite of the intensity and a Yale goal that crossed the line just seconds after the game’s final buzzer rang, neither team could force the other to break outside of the middle stanza.

“It certainly wasn’t a perfect game, but I thought we played well tonight,” head coach Rand Pecknold said.  “We had a lot of energy in the third.”

The extra pep found in the third is credited in part to the Bobcat fans that filled the stands.

 “It’s definitely fun to play in front of,” Connor Jones said.  “You get that extra energy from the crowd.”

The spirit of the crowd, however, cannot take credit for Connor and Kellen accounting for four of the six goals Quinnipiac scored this weekend against Brown and Yale.

“It’s a lot to ask of two sophomores, but they carry a lot of the load of the team,” Peca said.  “They’re heavily relied on in a lot of situations.”

While Peca gave praise to Connor and Kellen Jones, he himself managed to factor in on all six scores on the weekend.

Personal accolades aside, with the tie, the Bobcats secured the fifth seed in ECAC Hockey.  Because both Colgate and Clarkson lost, Quinnipiac could have jumped to fourth with a win, but rather than take the chance and pull the goalie in the final moments of regulation, Pecknold kept his lines as they were. 

“I did put a lot of thought into it, but as much as we wanted the bye, I don’t think it’s fair to our fans if we give up an empty-net goal at the end,” Pecknold said of his decision.

Even though Quinnipiac can say it did not surrender its tie for a loss in the name of full offensive press, it still failed to satisfy.

“I feel like we should have won it,” Connor Jones said.  “I think everybody feels like we should have won it. It’s nice to get a point, but what we wanted was a victory.”

As the Heroes Hat is now in an objective of the past, the Bobcats can refocus to take on Brown at home in a best-of-three set starting March 2.

“We’re excited and we’re not going to dwell on the fact that we didn’t get a top four spot or anything like that,” Peca said.  “We’re just going to prepare like we did every other weekend.”

With the recent game against Brown ending in a 4-1 Quinnipiac victory, the Bobcats, according to Peca, have a certain level of confidence against its opponent.  This is something Quinnipiac hopes can generate enough power to push it through to the next round of the playoffs.

Women's basketball defeated by Robert Morris

Women’s basketball defeated by Robert Morris

By: Taylor Massey QBSN Staff Writer

The Quinnipiac women’s basketball team had a fiery start against Robert Morris, but the Colonials quickly extinguished the flame. The Bobcats (21-6, 13-3 NEC) fell to the Colonials (16-11, 10-6 NEC) 72-62 in their second to last regular season game.

The first four minutes of play showed the talented team Bobcat fans know, but once Robert Morris took the lead, it never let it go. The Bobcats’ point leader Felicia Barron (Springfield, Mass.) showed the same strength she has had all season right out of the gate. Barron had three steals and seven points within the first four minutes of play. However, Robert Morris had some equally powerful players that took control of the game.

The Colonial’s Artemis Spanou and Josette Campbell were key players in their win. Spanou dominated the court with 24 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. The Bobcats had to adjust to Spanou’s quick moves.

“We tried to limit Spanou’s touches, which she’s so talented because she’s got her size and she really plays like a guard” Quinnipiac head coach Tricia Fabbri said.

Campbell was another force for Robert Morris almost matching Spanou with 23 points and nine rebounds of her own. She led the team in three-pointers, hitting five out of ten she took throughout the game.

courtesy: quinnipiacbobcats.com

While Barron kept the Bobcats in the game with 21 points, Brittany McQuain (Independence, Mo.) took care of business under the net grabbing 11 rebounds. She also contributed 12 points and Camryn Warner (Keene, N.H.) scored 13 points and eight rebounds. Unfortunately, the Bobcats faced a great difficulty in hitting shots and were unable to take over Robert Morris.

“I think that this was once again an eye-opener for us and letting us know that we’re going into the playoffs next week. We don’t have time to shoot poorly,” said McQuain.

Quinnipiac will be looking to bounce back from today’s loss as it enters into the playoffs. Before today’s games, the Bobcats and Pioneers were deadlocked for first, but with the Sacred Heart win over St. Francis (Pa.), Quinnipiac falls to second.

The Bobcat’s last regular season game is this Monday, Feb. 27 against Saint Francis (Pa.) at 7 p.m.

James Johnson notches 28 points over Robert Morris

James Johnson notches 28 points over Robert Morris

By Angelique Fiske, QBSN Publishing Editor

The all too familiar sight of Velton Jones handling the ball in the last moments of a Quinnipiac (17-12, 10-8 NEC) and Robert Morris (22-9, 13-5 NEC) face-off has temporarily disappeared from the minds of Bobcat fans as the home team defeated the Colonials, 73-69. 

courtesy: quinnipiacbobcats.com

The matinee at Lender Court of the TD Bank Sports Center proved yet again why this matchup is always one of the most highly anticipated games of the season.  The emphasis on this game was even more stressed as it happened to coincide with the Bobcats’ Senior Day.  Senior James Johnson (Queens, N.Y.)  put up 28 points in the victory which very well could be his last in Hamden.

“We’ve had a lot of good players in my short time here, but he cherishes this program, this arena, what we stand for as much as anyone that’s ever played here,” head coach Tom Moore said. 

In mirrored performances, James Johnson and Jones both opened up the first half by putting four points on the board for his respective team – a three-pointer and one free throw.  Jones donned “his Superman cape,” according to Moore and walked away with the point edge on the day, leading all scorers with 29. 

“He’s going to give it 110 [percent], and I’m going to give it 110,” Johnson said.  “I’m lucky my team came out on top today.”

Despite starting four points in the hole, the Bobcats took the lead on the back of six consecutive Johnson scores, and by the time five minutes passed in the half, Quinnipiac had the lead that they wouldn’t surrender until Mike McFadden of Robert Morris hit a buzzer beating lay-up to end the half tied up, 38-38.  The biggest lead of the game for Quinnipiac was the 10-point advantage it held in the first, while Robert Morris could only manage a four point edge in the game’s opening minutes.

The second half exemplified the intensity of such a rivalry, neither team holding too far of a lead over the other.  The final minute of the game drove the stands to the electric reactions expected for a game featured on ESPNU.  While never giving in, Quinnipiac felt the offensive pressure Robert Morris inflicted. 

While in déjà vu like instances, Jones would be on the line as the clock dwindled, this time it was a foul on James Johnson by Jones that sent the latter to the charity stripe. As the crowd anxiously hoped that its senior leader could widen gap more than the two point difference as the scoreboard reading 71-69.  James Johnson, however, missed both free throw attempts.   

Just four seconds later, Johnson was sent to the line again, this time sinking both attempts, dashing any hope for a Robert Morris comeback. 

While Johnson put together a fitting performance for the Senior Day festivities, freshman Ousmane Drame (Boston, Mass.) and junior Garvey Young (Washington, D.C.) provided Quinnipiac with solid performances.  Drame notched 12 points and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes played, while Young had 11 points coming off the bench in 30 minutes played. 

“I thought Garvey Young in the second half gave us a really nice boost.  He had some big plays,” Moore said.  “I think he’s the best sixth man probably in the league.” 

 While Young provided depth in the reserves, Moore emphasized Drame’s role in this game as player development.

“He’s played in this game, he’s experienced this game because he needs to get his butt kicked physically as many times by hungry, tough guys,” Moore said.  “He doesn’t grow as much on a win Thursday night when we’re up by 30 points and a couple of baskets come easy.”

Whether it’s in terms of growing freshman or the playoffs that are just around the corner, the Bobcats have their eyes looking only one direction – forward.  They kick-off the NEC Tournament on Thursday at St. Francis (N.Y.). 

“It’s playoff time, so I have to get my guys fired up,” Johnson said.  “A lot of them are freshmen, so they’ve never played an NEC Champion, so I’ve just got to make sure I lead them.  Lead them with confidence, lead them with energy, and just come out relentless.” 

Kellen Jones and Matt Peca lead QU over Brown

Kellen Jones and Matt Peca lead QU over Brown

By Marty Joseph, QBSN Staff Writer

The Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey team defeated Brown, 4-1, on Senior Night at the High Point Solutions Arena at TD Bank Sports Center. Three power play goals in the third period proved to be the difference as Quinnipiac (17-11-5, 9-8-4) broke away from Brown (8-16-4, 5-13-3) in what was a highly physical contest.

courtesy: quinnipiacbobcats.com

Kellen Jones (Montrose, British Columbia) and Matthew Peca (Petawawa, Ontario) led the Bobcats with four points each as the team netted four unanswered goals including three in the final period. Connor Jones (Montrose, British Columbia) and Zach Tolkinen (Lino Lakes, Minn.) also each had a goal and an assist for Quinnipiac.

The first period consisted of quality back and forth action for both teams, but the game remained scoreless through one period of play. The Bobcats out-shot the Bears 17-10 in the first period.

Brown was able to break through on the score sheet, netting the first goal of the game one second shy of twelve minutes into of the second period. Sophomore Garnet Hathaway was standing in front of the net when freshman Massimo Lamacchia shot the puck over the net and off the glass behind Dan Clarke (Belleville, Ontario). The puck bounced off the glass and came back out in front, where Hathaway jammed it into the net for the goal.

The Bobcats answered four and a half minutes later when Tolkinen ripped a wrist shot past Brown goaltender Marco De Filippo. Tolkinen’s goal was assisted Kellen Jones and Peca, capping off a shift that contained tremendous offensive pressure for the Bobcats.

courtesy: quinnipiacbobcats.com

The teams went into the third period tied, 1-1, and Brown came out strong in the final frame. The turning point of the game came halfway through the third. Brown forced Quinnipiac to take an icing, resulting in an offensive zone face-off for the Bears who had the Bobcats on the ropes.

Following the puck drop Brown’s Hathaway took an interference penalty to put the Bobcats on the power play. Forty-seven seconds later, Dennis Robertson was called for slashing, and the team was also given a bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct that resulted in Brown head coach Brendan Whittet being ejected from the game.

With a five-on-three advantage, Kellen Jones put the Bobcats up 2-1 after one timing a pass from his brother, Connor by De Filippo for the goal. Still on the two man advantage, the Bobcats went up 3-1 this time Kellen setting up Connor for the goal. The goals came just 59-seconds apart with Peca also assisting on both goals.

Kellen put the icing on the cake for the Bobcats with his second goal of the game also coming on the power play. Kellen wristed a shot by De Filippo from the blue line with assists from Tolkinen and Peca. 

“The first one on the five-on-three there was a great play by Connor to get me the puck, and I just wanted to squeeze it by the goalie,” said Kellen Jones about his two goals. “Second one I just wanted to get the puck to the net, and there was a great screen in front, so I didn’t have to do too much work to get that.”

Clarke made 20 saves for the win while De Filippo stopped 44 shots in a losing effort.

Head coach Rand Pecknold decision to start Clarke was no question.

“It was senior night, and he’s had a great four years for us and I didn’t even hesitate, it was his game and I knew he would play well tonight and he had a great game.”

The Bobcats wrap up the regular season schedule tomorrow night at 7 p.m. when the team hosts the Yale Bulldogs at the High Point Solutions Arena. The game marks the 10^th anniversary of the Heroes Hat Championship.

Dave Johnson nets career-high 19 points in rout of Red Flash

Dave Johnson nets 19 points in rout of Red Flash

By Kevin Noonan, QBSN Staff Writer

The Quinnipiac Bobcats shot the lights out at the TD Bank Sports Center Thursday Night as they crushed the St. Francis (Pa.) Red Flash 77-44.  With the win, the Bobcats improve to 9-8 in NEC play and 16-12 overall while the Red Flash drop to 5-12 in the NEC and 6-22 overall. 

Quinnipiac knocked down its first 12 shots of the second half to extend their 35-20 halftime lead to 62-31.

The Bobcats shot 58.6 percent from the floor compared to 38.3 percent for the Red Flash.

courtesy: quinnipiacbobcats.com

Head coach Tom Moore could not have asked for a better game from his squad.

“I am very happy we were pretty complete in all three phases of the game tonight,” Moore said.  “We were a much improved defensive team from the last time we played them.”

Junior Dave Johnson (Jackson, N.J.) led the Bobcats with a career high 19 points, along with five assists and three rebounds.  Sophomore Ike Azotam (Boston, Mass.) added 18 points and seven rebounds while freshman Zaid Hearst (Bethesda, Md.) scored 15 while grabbing eight boards.

Four of the five starters scored in double figures for Quinnipiac, the lone exception being senior James Johnson (Queens, N.Y.) who finished the game with five points and eight assists.

Moore had much praise for James Johnson after the game for his play on the floor.

“James Johnson was incredible in terms of his poise, his patience, and his unselfishness was off the charts,” Moore said.  “He didn’t really force anything and really let his four other teammates have their way offensively.”

Scott Eatherton paced the Red Flash with 16 points and six rebounds in 32 minutes of play.

Dave Johnson was feeling a lot more confident with his shot heading into the game, leading to his eight of 11 shooting.

 “I started making a few of them early and I just felt like I was going to have a good shooting day,” said Dave Johnson.

As the first half grew on, the lead for the Bobcats slowly extended itself.  The full-court press instituted by Moore is what initially started the frustration for St. Francis.

Quinnipiac started using it off of made baskets following the first media time out and the Red Flash were quickly irritated.  Junior Garvey Young (Washington, D.C.) finished with four steals on the night because of his tenacity on the press. 

Freshman Ousmane Drame (Boston, Mass.) got the Bobcats excited on a play in the first half where he dove under a table on press row in order to try and save a ball heading out of bounds. 

Quinnipiac opened up the second half on a 23-8 scoring run and did not stop continuing the lead for the remainder of the game.  The largest lead of the night was 38 points for the Bobcats when they led 75-37 with four minutes remaining.

Offense has been the focus the last few practices and has paid off the last few games.

“The last couple of games we’ve been finding each other and building chemistry on offense,” said Azotam.  “It’s all about being confident out there, knowing what shots to take.”

Azotam and Drame each had dunks in the second half that excited the crowd and really gave the Bobcats that much more of a boost.

The Bobcats cannot enjoy the victory for long, as preparations are still left to be made for archrival Robert Morris who comes into town for an 11 a.m. matchup on ESPNU. 

Each matchup tends to be a defensive battle, making Quinnipiac’s ability knock down buckets vital.

“I’m expecting to have to work very hard for every basket we get on Saturday,” said Moore.

Quinnipiac remains tied for fifth place in the Northeast Conference with CCSU and Monmouth but hold the tiebreaker over both teams heading into the final game of the regular season.

Athlete of the Week: Kelly Babstock

Athlete of the Week: Kelly Babstock

By Angelique Fiske, QBSN Publishing Editor

courtesy: quinnipiacbobcats.com

It’s easy to forget that she’s only a sophomore and still has two more seasons with the Bobcats.  In spite of this, Kelly Babstock’s (Mississauga, Ontario) offensive prowess has already captured attention within ECAC Hockey.  Most recently, Babstock put together a five-goal weekend, providing more than enough tallies for her to lead all Bobcats, past and present, as the program’s all-time leading goal scorer.

Babstock sat two goals away from history for over a month, going on an unusually quiet stretch after scoring against Harvard on Jan. 7.  Being silenced for the first two periods of Feb. 17’s game against Union was what it took for Babstock to unleash her skill as a scorer. 

In a matter of one minute and 12-seconds, Babstock managed to put the puck in the back of the net – twice.  Both scores came on the team’s solid power play.

“We rely on her, and I know she’s been frustrated,” head coach Rick Seeley said after the game.  “Hopefully this eases that pressure a bit, and she plays her own game.”

The following day Babstock confirmed Seeley’s hope that she was back in her groove with her first hat-trick of the season against RPI. 

The three goals came in all variations.  The first on a power play, the second was unassisted and the third as an empty netter. 

With the Babstock fueled offensive surge, the Bobcats took both games on the weekend.  The correlation of a Quinnipiac win and a Babstock score is undeniable.  In the games in which Babstock was held goalless, the team suffered a 2-6 overall record with only one win coming in conference play.  In this time, the Bobcats suffered a season-long five-game losing streak.

With the two-game set and history in the books, Babstock tally reached 47 career goals.  On the season, she has notched 17 goals and 36 points in just 33 games played. 

Bobcats celebrate senior day with win

Bobcats celebrate senior day with win

By: Taylor Massey QBSN Staff Writer

The Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey team (17-14-2, 12-8-2 ECAC) celebrated senior day with a 5-1 win over RPI (9-21-4, 6-14-2) in its final regular season game. Three different players scored in the ECAC match-up, including a hat trick by Kelly Babstock (Mississauga, Ontario).

RPI and Quinnipiac appeared to match up evenly in an uneventful first period, but halfway through the second frame the Bobcats lit up. Breann Frykas (East St. Paul, Manitoba) was first on the board with a power-play goal six minutes into the period. Frykas caught the rebound off a shot by Regan Boulton (Brandon, Manitoba) and flicked it into the net past RPI goalie Brianna Piper.

Next Babstock came through with her first of three goals for the night on another power-play goal. Babstock was planted in front of the net at the right time to send in a rebound from a shot by Frykas. Minutes later she broke away for an unassisted goal. Babstock crossed in front of the goal and sent a quick shot over Piper’s shoulder to make it 3-0 at the end of the second.

RPI grabbed its first and only goal of the night with just over five minutes left in the game. Toni Sanders managed to get the puck past Victoria Vigilanti (Woodbridge, Ontario) with an assist by Eleeza Cox.

Soon after, Babstock achieved her third goal on an empty net to complete her hat trick. Head coach Rick Seeley was happy to see Babstock back in her groove.

“That’s her bread and butter around the net,” said Seeley.  “Her hands are so quick and to pick-up pucks and then create that space and make the goals look easy, that’s what she’s great at.”

The Bobcats’ final goal came off the stick of senior Bethany Dymarczyk (Hamden, Conn.). Dymarczyk scored a short-handed goal on an empty net, but it held a certain sentimental value that only she knew.

“That was my first goal here at home ice and then for my last goal to be that exact same just kind of means a lot more to me than most people would think,” said Dymarczyk.

While Dymarczyk cherished personal moments in the victory, Seeley was looking forward with confidence.

 “I think we accomplished what we needed to accomplish. We needed to come out of this weekend feeling good about how we were playing.”

When all is said and done, the Bobcats will be losing six seniors to graduation.

 Quinnipiac ends the season with the sixth seed in the ECAC and will hit the road to take on Clarkson in the first round of playoffs starting Feb. 24.  

Babstock becomes all-time leading goal scorer

 Babstock becomes all-time leading goal scorer

By Angelique Fiske, QBSN Publishing Editor

Those who elected to spend their Friday night at the TD Bank Sports Center to see the women’s ice hockey team take on Union were reward by not only seeing the Bobcats defeat the Dutchwomen 6-2, but by seeing a piece of Quinnipiac history.  Kelly Babstock (Mississauga, Ontario) scored the two goals that propelled her into the position of all-time leading goal scorer in a matter of one minute and 12-seconds.  Previous to her 13^th and 14^th goals of the season and her 43^rd and 44^th of her young career, Babstock had not scored since Jan. 7 against Harvard.

“I feel like there’s no more monkey on my back,” Babstock said.  “I didn’t think about it.  I just wanted it to happen.  I’m glad it finally did.”

Both power play goals came in the middle of the third period off of rebounds that Union keeper Shenae Lundberg could not hang on to.  The strong first line of Babstock, Nicole Kosta (Mississauga, Ontario) and Erica Uden Johansson put the pressure on the Union defense the entirety of the game, and it eventually broke through.  Kosta was credited with both of Babstock’s assists.

In the games of Babstock’s dry spell, the team posted a 2-6 overall record with only one win coming in conference play over Colgate Jan. 14.  The Bobcats also hit a season high five-game losing skid.

“We rely on her, and I know she’s been frustrated,” head coach Rick Seeley said.  “Hopefully this eases that pressure a bit, and she plays her own game.”

With Babstock back in form, the Bobcats let the scoring run wild, managing four power play goals including Babstock’s two scores. 

With 30-seconds remaining in the first period, Kate Wheeler (Oakville, Ontario) earned her sixth goal of the year on a power play. Wheeler camped out in front of the Union goal and waited for teammates Bethany Dymarczyk (Hamden, Conn.) and Jordan Elkins (Wasilla, Ala.) to set up her shot.  Even though Wheeler’s back was to the net, she received Dymarczyk’s pass and without turning around, knocked a backhanded goal right between the legs Lundberg.

The Bobcats continued their offensive pressure and again capitalized in the last moments of the period. Kosta earned her sixth goal of the season during the second frame in unique fashion, taking a shot from the backside of the Union net.  The puck hit the back of Lundberg’s leg and into the goal. 

The third period belonged to the Bobcats.  Surrounding the record-breaking minutes were goals by Uden Johansson and sophomore Amanda Colin (Burnsville, Minn.).  Regan Boulton (Brandon, Manitoba) and Babstock were credited with the assists on the first and Breann Frykas (East St. Paul, Manitoba) on the second.

In addition to the scoring frenzy, the Bobcats saw a change on the defensive end as senior Michaela Spiessl (Champion, Mich.) managed five saves and one goal allowed in her seven-and-a-half minutes of play.  Spiessl has not made an appearance between the pipes since Nov. 26, 2010.

“It wasn’t charity.  She had to come up with some good saves, and she did,” Seeley said.

The Bobcats finish up their regular season schedule tomorrow at 4 p.m. against Rensselaer.  As the post-season fast approaches, having locked in the sixth seed, Quinnipiac looks forward to the challenges of either Clarkson or St. Lawrence. 

“Well, we know we’re driving through the mountains,” Seeley said. 

Even though the ride is almost certain to be through mountainous upstate New York, if the Bobcats can keep the offensive momentum, the smiles found after the win over Union are bound to stick.