In the first game at home in the new year, and the return to Hamden after a road trip to Minnesota, the Quinnipiac Bobcats (13-6-1, 8-2-0 ECAC) defeated the Rensselaer Engineers (6-15-1, 4-5-0 ECAC) 4-2 on Friday.

“We’re happy with the win. I don’t think it was our best game but I thought we played well enough to win,” head coach Rand Pecknold said. “I think some guys were really good tonight.”

The first period was scoreless and play held predominantly in the neutral zone. Throughout the period Pecknold thought the team struggled a bit.

The first goal was an unassisted skill play from senior co-captain Matthew Peca, as he brought in the puck along the nearside wing. Shielding the puck from the defenseman on his backhand, he brought the puck to his forehand and put it in top shelf.

“It was kind of a broken play, it was a one-on-two, and I decided to take their defenseman wide. I kinda ran out of room so I had to put it through his stick,” Peca said. “It’s a move I work on a lot, it’s a good thing it worked out.”

Making an impact on the defensive end was sophomore Devon Toews, who scored his third goal of the season.

“I thought Devon Toews was outstanding, that was one of the better games he’s played at Quinnipiac,” Pecknold said. “We had a couple [defensemen] that struggled tonight, and I think Devon really picked up for them. He was awesome.”

Quinnipiac, now four points ahead of Harvard in the ECAC standings, host the reigning national champion Union Dutchmen on Saturday, Jan. 10.