The magic number was three Thursday night in Pittsburgh as Quinnipiac opened up the Three Rivers Classic by defeating Boston College 3-1 on Thursday.
The last time these two teams met was in Tampa Bay, Florida last season in the Frozen Four. Quinnipiac also scored three goals in that game as they defeated Boston College to move on to the National Championship. It was the first time in two weeks that either team had played.
The Bobcats started the game a little flat while the Eagles hit the ground running. The first half of period number one was all Boston College as the period was mostly played in Quinnipiac’s zone. Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold attributed the slow start to the holiday break.
“It’s tough when you take three weeks off and don’t play, it’s tough on both teams,” Pecknold said. “That’s just the way college hockey is, you have to get back at it after Christmas with limited practice time.”
The Bobcats found their feet about half way through the first period as they began to pick up the pace offensively and spent some extended time in the Eagles’ zone. Quinnipiac kept that momentum rolling into the second period by drawing a quick penalty then scoring shortly after that penalty expired. Tanner MacMaster showed patience as he baited Boston College goalie Ryan Edquist out of the crease before he put a wrist shot right below the bar. MacMaster returned to his first game after missing the previous three to injury.
“I thought Tanner was very good tonight, a little rusty, but I thought he was very good,” Pecknold said. “He makes us a deeper team, we don’t have the kind of depth we’ve had in the past so no question we’re a better team with him in the lineup.”
After that the Eagles killed off a Bobcats power play, Quinnipiac defenseman Brogan Rafferty stepped up on a puck and turned it over which resulted in a Boston College two on none rush where Graham McPhee beat Chris Truehl blocker side to tie the game up.
Quinnipiac was playing well offensively again and the power play was clicking in terms of puck movement and open shots, that’s something that they struggled with mightily in the first half of the season. Craig Martin scored a power play goal, the third goal of the contest, in the third period and it proved to be the game winner.
Quinnipiac added and an insurance goal and it was a power play goal from Bo Pieper shot a missile just past Edquist and inside the post. Pieper contributions were a difference maker throughout the game. He was stellar in the face-off circle and very active on the ice. It seemed like those three weeks off did more good than harm.
The game ended in dramatic fashion as the Clifton brothers were both in the penalty box within the last minute of play. Boston College pulled the goalie and had a six to four man advantage. The Eagles ripped a few shots on net but the Bobcats responded by blocking most of those shots while Truehl cleaned up the rest.
Quinnipiac as the victors will have the 7:30 start time, where it will face the Robert Morris Colonials for the tournament championship.
