Quinnipiac University
Yale University
No. 1/1 QU Men's Ice Hockey Knocks Off No. 7/7 Yale, 4-1, in 14th Annual Heroes Hat
2/27/2016 9:51:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
HAMDEN, Connecticut - Tanner MacMaster (Calgary, Alberta) scored once and assisted on another goal as the nationally-ranked No. 1/1 Quinnipiac men's ice hockey team defeated No. 7/7 Yale Bulldogs, 4-1, in front of a capacity crowd of 3,696 in the 14th Annual Heroes Hat game at High Point Solutions Arena. The Bobcats conclude the regular season at 25-2-7 overall and 16-1-5 in ECAC Hockey. With its single loss in league play, Quinnipiac is the first NCAA Division I team since Maine in 1993 to post a one-loss conference record for the season and just fifth team all-time to do so. It is also the first ECAC Hockey team to accomplish the feat since Rensselaer finished the 1984-85 season at 20-1-0.
The Bulldogs dropped to 19-6-4 and 14-5-3 in ECAC Hockey with the loss, which ended an eight-game winning streak. to snap their eight game-winning streak. In addition, the Bobcats' four goals were the most Yale has allowed since Dec. 5 - a span of 19 games. It was also the first time the Bulldogs were held to fewer than two goals in its last eight games.
MacMaster's goal was his fourth tally of the season while he also picked up his 13th assist of the year. Scott Davidson (Trail, British Columbia) scored his fifth goal of the season in the win for the Bobcats while Luke Shiplo (Oakville, Ontario) netted his fifth goal of the season and second in as many games. Tim Clifton (Matawan, New Jersey) deposited an empty-net goal for his 17th of the year.
Chase Priskie (Pembroke Pines, Florida) picked up his 20th assist of the season on Davidson's goal, which stands as the most for any ECAC Hockey freshman defensemen this season. Priskie is the also first Quinnipiac freshman defenseman since Matt Sorteberg in 2004-05 to record 20 or more assists in a single season. K.J. Tiefenwerth (Bellmore, New York), Thomas Aldworth (Keller, Texas), Tommy Schutt (Chanhassan, Minnesota) and Bo Pieper (Roseville, Minnesota) all recorded assists in the win.
Bobcats goalie Michael Garteig (Prince George, British Columbia) was electric as he stopped 26 of Yale's 27 shots on goal for his 25th win of the year, and 71st of his career, moving him into a tie for 21st all-time in career wins with Michigan's Billy Sauer (2006-09).
Davidson gave the Bobcats a 1-0 lead with 6:43 left in the first period minutes after Yale had a potential goal waved off for goaltender interference. The Bobcats played the puck into the right corner where it was controlled by Schutt, who shifted it along the end boards to Priskie. Heading toward the left corner, Priskie fired a pass up to Davidson in the left face-off circle where he peppered the shot past Yale goaltender Alex Lyon for the goal.
Late in the first period, Garteig made one of the best saves of the 2015-16 season. Quinnipiac was on the penalty kill after penalty, and a Yale forward pass the puck from behind the goal to John Hayden sneaking in from the right point. Hayden one-timed a shot from low in the slot which sent Garteig sprawling to make the miraculous glove save.
Yale didn't get on the scoreboard until the 8:09 mark of the second period when Chris Izmirlian scored his fourth goal of the season to tie the game, 1-1. Yale defenseman Anthony Walsh cycled the puck from the right point around the boards to Mike Doherty in the right corner. Doherty backhanded a pass along the end boards to Ted Hart, who flung a centering feed to Izmirlian on top of the crease who one-timed the shot past Garteig.
Quinnipiac took a 2-1 lead late in the second period as MacMaster scored his fourth goal of the season with 5:08 left in the period. Aldworth played the puck in the right corner up to Pieper at the right point. Pieper fired a shot on goal that was saved by Lyon, but MacMaster was positioned on top of the crease to bang home the rebound.
Shiplo provided the Bobcats with an insurance goal with 6:27 to play in the third period, giving the Bobcats a 3-1 lead. Tiefenwerth wrapped the puck from center ice along the boards down to MacMaster behind Yale's goal. MacMaster used his body to hold off a Yale defenseman and control the puck. MacMaster broke free to the right of the goal where he fired the puck out to Shiplo at the point who rifled the shot through traffic past Lyon's glove side.
The Quinnipiac men's ice hockey team will be off next weekend before hosting a best-of-three ECAC Hockey Quarterfinal Series from March 11-13 at High Point Solutions Arena. The Bobcats' opponent will not be determined until after the first round of the ECAC Hockey playoffs held from March 4-6.
