By Angelique Fiske, QBSN Publishing Editor
The Bobcats have no pet bunny. There are no wands stashed away in the locker room. Their uniform sleeves are free of doves.
Quinnipiac’s representation in the Frozen Four is because of hockey players, not magicians.
Head coach Rand Pecknold stresses the fact that his team earned its place in the tournament.
“The one thing about our team the whole year is I haven’t had to use any gimmicks or any tricks to get them motivated, like it’s just an awesome group of guys,” Pecknold said.
The drive the Bobcats sustained the entirety of the regular season and into the postseason brings them back to the national stage against St. Cloud tomorrow night. With the 4-3 win over Canisius and the 5-1 victory over Union behind it, the team is looking forward, knowing that no matter how the long weekend plays out, each moment will be cherished.
“You could have picked any three teams in the country, we’d be happy to be there,” Pecknold said.
Not for nothing, the Bobcats are aware of the task in front of them – a Huskie team that has taken three of the four all-time meetings. On the other side of the bracket are UMass-Lowell and ECAC foe Yale.
Captain Zack Currie and his team are not ignorant to the presence of the Bulldogs, but are not allowing it to shake their concentration.
“Whoever gets put in front of us, that’s who we’re going to focus on, and that’s who we’re going to have to deal with,” Currie said. “It may be good for ECAC, definitely good for ECAC to have the two teams there, but we’re focused on our first game here against St. Cloud and whoever is in that second game, hopefully we can meet them there.”
Having swept all three games against the Bulldogs this season, the media has been sure to remind the Bobcats of its ECAC rivalry equivalent to that of the Red Sox and Yankees, but the team has shaken it off, according to Pecknold.
“So the guys have done a good job being grounded, and I think we’ll stay the course with that,” Pecknold said.
This focus and humility has been the backbone of the newly recognized national respect. Though the Bobcats needed no magic to get them to the Frozen Four, only hard work, they hope the same will prevent a postseason disappearing act.
