The Quinnipiac Bobcats (13-10-2, 8-6-1 ECAC Hockey) will look to start off their two game set against the Arizona State Sun Devils (9-17-2 Overall) on a high note this Friday in Hamden. The Bobcats are coming off of a win-loss weekend in which they defeated the Colgate Raiders 4-1, but then fell to No. 19 Cornell 2-1.
In the 4-1 win over the Raiders, 11 different Bobcats recorded a point and Karlis Cukste had a pair of assists. The Raiders lone goal came from Jared Cockrell on the power play.
Quinnipiac would only see a power play goal come from Craig Martin in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Cornell as Alex Rauter went on to score the game winning goal in the second period.
The Sun Devils ride into Hamden after beating Southern New Hampshire University twice by the scores of 11-0 and 4-1.
This is only the second season in program history for Arizona State, so a win over No. 17 ranked Quinnipiac would make the future for the Sun Devils look a lot brighter.
Predicted starters:
Quinnipiac: Andrew Shortridge got the nod for both games last weekend and played very well, which is why I think he stays in net for the Bobcats. The freshman goaltender has exceeded expectations with a 4-3-0 record along with a .920 save percentage and a 2.16 GAA. For a freshman, those numbers are hard to compete with. Shortridge gets the go.
Arizona State: Senior goalie Robert Levin could get the start against Quinnipiac. Levin has posted a 5-4-2 overall record with a .895 save percentage and a 3.16 GAA.
Who to watch:
Quinnipiac: Sophomore forward Craig Martin has been fantastic throughout the season, registering 18 points (team lead) in 25 games. For a guy who doesn’t take as many shots at the big guys up front, Martin knows how to put the puck on the net. Tim Clifton leads the team in goals with 10 and has had 81 shots on goal. Martin has 8 goals on the season with just 55 shots. If Craig Martin has a shooting gallery on Friday, pucks are bound to find the back of the net for himself.
Arizona State: The Bobcats are very familiar with Boston University transfer Robbie Baillargeon, considering he tallied a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win over Quinnipiac just a season ago. Baillargeon, the top point getter for the Sun Devils, has played great so far with 9 goals and 11 assists for a total of 20 points. Not too shabby for his first season in Arizona. Look for him to be a dominant force on Friday.
Previous Meetings:
The last time the Bobcats and the Sun Devils faced off was last season on October 15, 2015. Thomas Aldworth scored twice and tallied an assist as the Bobcats shut them out 5-0 in Hamden.
