Quinnipiac University
Yale
Top-Ranked Bobcats Close Out Home Regular Season with Heroes' Hat, Senior Night Contests
2/16/2023 4:43:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Click Here
Saturday, Feb. 18 | 7:00 PM EST | No. 1 Quinnipiac Bobcats (24-3-3, 16-2-0 ECAC Hockey) vs. Brown Bears (9-14-2, 5-11-2 ECAC Hockey)
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Click Here
HAMDEN, Conn. — The biggest regular season men's ice hockey weekend of the year has arrived for the No. 1-ranked Quinnipiac Bobcats, as they get set to host the annual Heroes' Hat game on Friday night against Yale before closing out its regular-season slate with Senior Night on Saturday.
The Bobcats are in position to clinch the Cleary Cup and ECAC Hockey Regular Season title this weekend with a pair of wins or a win on Friday night with favorable results elsewhere. Both games are slated for 7 p.m., puck drops and can be seen live on ESPN+. Friday night's contest against Yale can also be seen locally on WCTX.
CHASING HISTORY
In the middle of another phenomenal campaign, sophomore goalie Yaniv Perets is rewriting the Bobcats record books in his second season with the program.
Along with being named a Richter Award semifinalist for the second consecutive season, the Quebec native is one shutout away from breaking the career record of 19 owned by Michael Garteig.
He is also the current owner of the program's career goals-against average and save percentage marks and just passed JC Wells for sixth on the all-time wins list.
THE BATTLE OF WHITNEY AVE.
A rivalry renewed in the greater New Haven area, Quinnipiac and Yale will meet for the 40th time in a matchup that dates back to the 2005-06 campaign when the Bobcats joined ECAC Hockey.
Quinnipiac has a 27-7-5 advantage and has won nine straight in the series, including each of the last six in Hamden by a combined scoreline of 23-3.
The Bobcats took down the Bulldogs by a 4-0 final in New Haven in November, with Collin Graf potting his first collegiate hat trick. Sam Lipkin provided four helpers as well.
THE CLEARY CUP
The trophy given annually to ECAC Hockey's men's regular season champion, the William J. Cleary Cup will be in Hamden on Friday and Saturday night with the Bobcats given an opportunity to clinch the title on both nights.
With a regulation win and Cornell regulation loss on Friday night, the Bobcats will clinch the regular season title. The Bobcats can also clinch the title this weekend with two regulation wins, regardless of the results in Cornell's contests against Clarkson and St. Lawrence.
HOME PLAYOFF HOCKEY
The Bobcats have clinched a bye in the ECAC Hockey Postseason, ensuring a best-of-3 quarterfinal series will be played at M&T Bank Arena on March 10-12, with the winner advancing to the semifinals in Lake Placid the following weekend.
Quinnipiac has had home ice in each of the last four postseasons, with the Bobcats and Saints matching up in last season's quarterfinals. The Bobcats skated to a 4-1 victory on Friday night before a double-overtime thriller on Saturday that Desi Burgart won at the 9:09 mark of the second extra session.
Rand Pecknold's club is looking for its second Whitelaw Cup in program history.
For an inside look at the Quinnipiac men's ice hockey program, be sure to follow it on social media @QU_MIH or go to gobobcats.com/mih.
