Freshmen lead the way for the Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey team to win the 14th Annual Heroes Hat and end Yale’s eight game win streak.
Scott Davidson, Luke Shiplo, and Thomas Aldworth all recorded a point in a 4-1 victory for the Bobcats.
Freshman Chase Priskie recorded his 20th assist of the season, as well. Priskie and junior Sam Anas are the only players to record over 20 assists in their freshman season since Quinnipiac (25-2-7, 16-1-5 ECAC) joined the ECAC.
“I think we all work really hard off the ice, and on the ice as well,” Shiplo said. “We all have one goal and that’s to win.”
Yale’s (19-6-4 14-5-3 ECAC) Dan O’Keefe thought he had the first goal of his career about a minute and a half into the game, but the goal was called back due to goaltender interference.
After the official signaled no goal, the Quinnipiac fans roared with excitement.
“It’s never an issue getting up for this one,” Quinnipiac goaltender Michael Garteig said. “It’s pretty cool showing up at four o’clock and seeing that line out the rink.”
Later in the first period, junior Tommy Schutt skated around the corner of the offensive zone to deliver a pass to a streaking Priskie, who ripped a shot on net from the top of the left offensive circle. Davidson then deflected the puck into the net for the fifth goal of his career to put the Bobcats up 1-0.
With four minutes left in the first period, Yale forward John Hayden had the puck land on his stick in the slot and quickly released a shot searching for twine, but Quinnipiac’s Hobey Baker nominee flashed the leather to hold the 1-0 lead for the Bobcats.
“I think I was pretty out of position but lucky enough, I kept my eye on the puck,” Garteig said.
At the end of the period, the Bobcats were up 1-0 but the two teams were tied in shots 8-8.
“It wasn’t our best period in the first,” Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold said. “I thought Yale really took it to us.”
With 11 minutes left in the second period, Yale’s Mike Doherty cycled the puck down to freshman Ted Hart, who took two strides and delivered a tape-to-tape pass to a wide-open Chris Izmirlian. Izmirlian roofed the puck to tie the game for his fourth goal of the season.
The Bobcats regained the lead later in the second when sophomore Tanner MacMaster tallied his fourth goal of the season. Aldworth carried the puck out of the offensive zone while fending off a Yale defender and dropped a pass for Bo Pieper.
Pieper snapped a low shot that found its way through a crowd and deflected off of Yale goaltender Alex Lyon’s pads for a rebound.
MacMaster buried the rebound through Lyon’s legs to give the Bobcats a 2-1 lead.
“Pieper shot it and I just turned around, saw the rebound, and jammed it five-hole,” MacMaster said.
At the end of the second period, the Bobcats led 2-1. Quinnipiac now has a 20-0-2 record when leading after two periods.
With 14:19 remaining, Doherty was tossed from the game after delivering an illegal hit to Shiplo. But following an unsuccessful five-minute power play, Shiplo got his revenge by scoring his fifth goal to put the Bobcats up 3-1.
“I’m just trying to keep my defensive game strong,” Shiplo said. “And the offense is coming when I get out there.”
Tim Clifton sealed the win after stealing the puck in the neutral zone and scoring the empty net goal to put the Bobcats up 4-1 for his 17th of the season.
Quinnipiac’s next game will be in Lake Placid, New York, for the ECAC Hockey quarterfinals on March 11.
