The Quinnipiac Bobcats (0-0, 0-0 ECAC) will take on the Concordia Stingers (0-0, 0-0 RSEQ) at the High Point Solutions Arena in Hamden, Connecticut for what what will be the first action of the season for Quinnipiac. Concordia, based in Montreal, Canada, will end their American tour after a 3-2 loss to Northeastern and tying 2-2 against Boston University. This matchup will be a good measuring stick for both teams to assess their quality of play before the regular season starts.
Keys to the Season
Quinnipiac – Which T.T. Cianfarano will they be getting?
Last season, Quinnipiac finished with a respectable overall record of 21-10-6. All of this was done without star forward T.T. Cianfarano being at full strength. Cianfarano suffered through multiple undisclosed injuries that limited her production to 13 goals and 13 assists in 35 games. For most players, this would be an encouraging tally. However, for a player who has 108 career points and was the ECAC Player of the Year as a sophomore, Cianfarano’s injury-plagued season last year could be worrisome for Cassandra Turner’s squad if she cannot get back to top form. The former USA U-18 player’s natural talent is there; she was selected 3rd overall by the New York Riveters in the NWHL draft. If the Bobcats get an injury-free Cianfarano to play the level of hockey she showcased her sophomore year, then Quinnipiac could very well be ending their season at the Frozen Four in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Concordia – Can they build off of their 4th place finish at Nationals?
Seeded 7th at the U Sports National Championship in Napanee, Ontario, the Stingers shocked most as they advanced all the way to the bronze medal game, where they lost to the UBC Thunderbirds 2-0. For a team that finished the regular season 10-9-1, being recognized as the 4th best team in Canada is something to build on for their upcoming campaign. Audrey Belskie led the way with 18 points, followed by Claudia Dubois with 17 points, Stephanie Lalancette with 16 points, and Tracy-Ann Lavigne with 14 points. Other than Lalancette, who graduated, the Stingers are returning a trio of valuable point-getters for their offense. Julie Chu and her staff have a plethora of scorers at their disposal to make a run at the top spot in the RSEQ. Traveling to Hamden to face off against the current No. 9 team in the United States will be a challenge for Concordia. If they can hang with Quinnipiac, that could spell good things for Concordia in their quest to be the best in Canada.
The Game
Be sure to tune in to @QBSN’s live broadcast of Quinnipiac vs. Concordia from the High Point Solutions Arena in Hamden. Jonathan Banks and Andrew Weiss will be on the call for this matchup. To receive updates throughout the game, make sure to follow @jonathanbanks8_ , @WeissHockeyQ and @tkro42 on Twitter.
