The word “special” in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is defined as “better, greater, or otherwise different from what is the usual.”
Quinnipiac’s hockey programs were just that this past winter.
The two teams earned a 62-7-12 combined record as they went on to play the best hockey each program has ever seen, both adding ECAC regular season titles and ECAC tournament titles to their respective mantles.
As the class of 2016 graduates into the real world and the young freshman class fills their shoes, the fans must realize how truly special the past seven months have been for the two programs.
To start, both teams saw their seniors play pivotal roles.
Nicole Kosta set the tone for the women’s team with 10 goals and 25 points. For the men’s team, Travis St. Denis used his chippy style of play to bolster a record season with an outstanding 49 points and 22 goals.
The Bobcats’ senior captains showed true leadership. While Cydney Roesler and Soren Jonzzon didn’t light the lamp much, they made crucial plays for their teams down the stretch as both teams headed into the playoffs.
Then there were the freshmen classes, who were both led by strong playmakers in Melissa Samoskevich and Chase Priskie.
Samoskevich tallied 16 goals on the season and always had the puck on her stick at crucial times for the Bobcats.
For the men’s team, Priskie matured further in every single one of the 43 games he played for the Bobcats this past season.
The Florida native was crucial for the Bobcats down the stretch, making smart plays to keep opponents on the fritz in the defensive end all while being a constant threat offensively.
Lastly, the goalies proved to be the most important elements of these two teams.
The women’s team relied heavily on Sydney Rossman, who took home countless awards for her play between the pipes this past winter while setting program record for fewest goals allowed (35) and most wins (30).
Rossman also had a stretch for over 296 minutes this past season where she did not allow a goal, another program record.
For the men’s team, it was Michael Garteig who stepped into his senior year and silenced any doubters with a truly miraculous season.
The British Columbia native became the 13th goalie in NCAA Division I history to record eight shutouts in a single season as he pulled together a shutout streak of his own, keeping opponents scoreless for close to 195 minutes, spanning over three games.
Come next October, the fans will get set for another two amazing seasons of hockey from Cass Turner and Rand Pecknold’s teams.
Like any other season, there will be new faces with new numbers playing new positions. But as fans make their way to the TD Bank Sports Center, the lasting memories of the previous season will remain in their heads.
The 2015-2016 season was a thrilling season that fans from both programs should never forget.
