By Tommy Sullivan, QBSN Staff Writer
The Quinnipiac Bobcats and Cornell Big Red will face off in Game 2 of the ECAC Conference Tournament Quarterfinals on Saturday March 16 at the TD Bank Sports Center. The Big Red got the best of the Bobcats in Game 1, winning by a score of 3-2.
Boston Bruins prospect Brian Ferlin had two power play goals for the Big Red. The Bobcats top line of Matthew Peca, Kellen Jones, and Connor Jones registered five points collectively in Game 1.
Keys for Game 2:
More Depth Scoring: All season long, one of the keys to the Bobcats offensive success was the depth scoring. Coach Rand Pecknold was able to routinely roll three scoring lines, but in Game 1, the only line that scored was the line of Matthew Peca, Kellen Jones and Connor Jones. If the Bobcats are going to win Game 2, they need scoring from the likes of Jeremy Langlois and Jordan Samuels-Thomas.
Return of the Dominant Penalty Kill: During regular season play, the Bobcats were known for their prowess on the defensive side of the rink, ranking No. 1 in the nation in goals against (1.63 GAA) and No. 3 in the nation in penalty killing percentage (90.5 percent). Against Cornell however, the Bobcats gave up two power play goals on 3 chances. In order to have any chance to force a third game, the penalty kill has to return to its regular season dominance.
Win the Physical Battles: The first game ended with a center ice scrum between the players on the ice. Cornell holds a distinct size advantage over the Bobcats – for example, Cornell has seven players who are at least 6-foot-4, while QU only has three players of that size. Quinnipiac needs to dig deep, win the puck battles, and play the gritty style of play that they’ve played all season.
