Quinnipiac University
Clarkson
No. 2 Bobcats Trek North to Battle Clarkson, St. Lawrence
2/9/2023 7:04:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Click Here
Saturday, Feb. 11 | 7:00 PM EST | No. 2 Quinnipiac Bobcats (22-3-3, 14-2-0 ECAC Hockey) at St. Lawrence Saints (14-14-0, 9-7-0 ECAC Hockey)
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Click Here
HAMDEN, Conn. — The longest ECAC road trip has arrived, as the No. 2 Quinnipiac University men's ice hockey program treks north to take on Clarkson and St. Lawrence in its penultimate road weekend during the 2022-23 campaign. Both puck drops are slated for 7 p.m., and can be seen live on ESPN+.
HOME PLAYOFF HOCKEY
With a win in either game this weekend, the Bobcats will clinch 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 seasons, 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.
THE NATION'S BEST
Four different Bobcats have been tabbed to national award watch lists as the end of the regular season draws near. Sophomore winger Colin Graf is currently on the Hobey Baker Ballot, as well as a semifinalist for the Walter Brown Award, given to the best American-born Division I player in New England. Sophomore goaltender Yaniv Perets is also on the Baker Ballot and was named to the Mike Richter Award Watch List, given to the nation's top goaltender.
Freshman winger Sam Lipkin is also a Walter Brown Award semifinalist, while being named to the Tim Taylor Award Watch List, an honor given to the nation's top rookie. Senior center Skyler Brind'Amour joins Graf and Lipkin as Walter Brown Award semifinalists.
KINGS OF CONNECTICUT
For the second consecutive season, the Bobcats claimed the title as the best of Connecticut winning CT Ice at M&T Bank Arena the last weekend of January. Quinnipiac shut out Sacred Heart by a 5-0 final on Friday night before overcoming a third-period deficit en route to a 4-3 victory over No. 12 UConn in the title game.
Graduate forward Ethan de Jong earned Most Outstanding Player honors, totaling four points on the tournament including a three-point night in the final, scoring a pair of goals and providing a helper. Zach Metsa and Collin Graf were also named All-Tournament.
HOME ICE ADVANTAGE
Quinnipiac remained one of the best teams on home ice, winning its 11th consecutive game at M&T Bank Arena and improving its home record to 11-0-1. They are the lone team in the country without a loss on home ice this season after dishing Harvard its first loss on home ice on Friday.
Quinnipiac has never gone unbeaten on home ice during a regular season in its Division I era and you have to go back to 1997-98, when the Bobcats were 10-0-0 in home games.
DEFENSE WINS EVERYTHING
Quinnipiac currently boasts one of the nation's best defensive units, leading the country in goals-against average at 79. Led by Hobey Baker Award nominee Yaniv Perets, Quinnipiac has posted six shutouts and held teams to two goals or fewer in 20 of its 28 contests.
IF YOU WANT TO BE THE BEST...
The Bobcats continue to perform their best against ranked opposition this season, posting just one loss in seven ranked matchups during the 2022-23 campaign.
Quinnipiac suffered its first ranked loss of the year at Cornell on Jan. 20, but bounced back to knock off No. 12 UConn by a 4-3 final on Jan. 28. QU also has ranked wins over No. 3 North Dakota and two over a Harvard team that's been ranked in the Top 9 in both matchups.
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.
