By Ben Dias, QBSN Staff Writer
Background:
The Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey team will host the American International Yellow Jackets in a non-conference match-up. The Bobcats are coming off a 5-1 non-conference loss against Colgate at the Cape Cod Classic. On the season, Quinnipiac owns a 3-2-1 overall record. American International enters Tuesday’s game with a record of 2-4-1 overall and 0-2-1 in Atlantic Hockey.
Last time out, American International tied Rochester Institute of Technology 2-2, before losing the second game of its series, 3-0, on Nov. 3. Prior to its league-opening series, AIC knocked off Alabama Huntsville at home 4-3 to end a three game losing streak. Half of AIC’s games early on have gone to overtime, with the Yellow Jackets posting a 1-1-1 mark in those games.
Quinnipiac is 26-11-2 all-time against American International, including 11 straight wins. The two teams last faced each other on Dec. 12, 2009 in Hamden, with Quinnipiac earning a 5-2 victory.
Keys to the game:
- The Bobcats will need to get solid goaltending from senior Eric Hartzell (White Bear Lake, Minn). Hartzell has a 1.66 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage. In six games, Hartzell has surrendered only nine goals.
- Quinnipiac also needs senior Jeremy Langlois (Tempe, Ariz.) and sophomore Matthew Peca (Petawawa, Ontario) to continue their solid offensive production. Langlois posted the first multiple-goal of the 2012-13 season against Ohio State in a 3-1 win. Langlois has registered a point in four of the five games he’s suited up for this year. The senior forward leads the team with three goals and also six assists. Peca became the first player in the Bobcats’ line-up to score in back-to-back games, with his two goals in the Ohio State series.
- The penalty kill will also be a key for the Bobcats, as they are 26-for-26, making them the only team in NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey with a perfect penalty kill percentage.
- The Yellow Jackets must get production from the tandem of Adam Pleskach and Jon Puskar, who lead the team with four goals and four assists, respectively. Goaltender Ben Meisner, will have to remain solid for AIC, as he opened the season with an Atlantic Hockey record 61 saves against Penn State.
- The Bobcats need to get shots on net, as Meisner has allowed 4.14 goals-against average.
Quinnipiac Leaders:
Goals: Langlois – 3
Assists: Clay Harvey – 4
Points: Langlois – 6
Wins: Hartzell – 3
American International Leaders:
Goals: Puskar – 4
Assists: Pleskach and Jeff Ceccacci – 4
Points: Pleskach – 7
Wins: Meisner – 1
