Missed opportunity was the theme Saturday night when the Quinnipiac Bobcats (6-8-2 overall, 3-5-1 ECAC Hockey) played host to the Dartmouth Big Green (2-6-1 overall, 2-4-1 ECAC Hockey). Both teams earned their share of scoring opportunities but neither side could push a goal across, resulting in a game that ended in a scoreless tie.
Dartmouth, just 24 hours removed from allowing nine goals to the Princeton Tigers, entered the Frank J. Perrotti Arena looking for a bounce-back victory against a struggling Bobcat team that had just fallen at the hands of the Harvard Crimson, 6-2. Sitting at just 3-5 in conference play on the season, the Bobcats were also looking to break out of their season-long funk and grab a much needed win against a Dartmouth team that was projected to finish ninth in the preseason ECAC poll.
Though it looks like a frustrating day in the box score, the tie is certainly not a result of poor play for Quinnipiac; it was simply another case of being unlucky. The Bobcats fired 43 shots, outshot their opponents by 16, found the iron three times, and had a goal waved off in the first period after an early whistle was blown.
Junior captain and Washington Capitals prospect Chase Priskie blames no one but his team for the result.
“It’s frustrating, but we definitely got our chances,” Priskie said. “We just couldn’t capitalize tonight.”
The Bobcats thought they grabbed the lead early in the first period when Logan Mick tapped a rebounded shot between the legs of Dartmouth goalie Adrian Clark. Mick raised his hands in celebration and began skating towards the Bobcat bench for the bench high-five line, only to have it whistled off. It was a whistle that came to the surprise of many, including Bobcat head coach Rand Pecknold, but the teams played on, still knotted in a scoreless tie. Pecknold’s comments on the disallowed goal were short.
“Referee blew a quick whistle there. It was a mistake on his part, but that’s life. You move on.”
Struggles continued into the second period for the Bobcats. A 4-on-1 opportunity, two power plays, and plenty of wide open looks at goal proved to be useless as all resulted in a Bobcat miscue or a Dartmouth save. Nick Jermain sent the shot off the iron in the 4-on-1 chance, the Big Green penalty kill stood strong both times against the Bobcat power play, Odeen Tufto sent a shot off the post, and a rare mistake from Clark, who left the entire left side of the goal wide open, was not capitalized upon. Despite limiting Dartmouth to three lone shots in the second period, Quinnipiac was still playing a scoreless hockey game.
Dartmouth quickly gained the momentum in the third period when Logan Mick was called for interference, resulting in a five-minute major and a hefty task for the Bobcat penalty kill team to take on. However, if there was one glowing spot in a day filled with frustration for Quinnipiac, it was the penalty kill, as they killed off their second five-minute major in three games.
“The four guys we roll over every shift on the PK are willing to sacrifice everything for the team, and you just can’t say enough great things about those guys,” Priskie stated.
The same cannot be said about the Bobcats’ power play team, however, as they weren’t able to score a goal on five power play opportunities on the night, including three in the third period alone.
Overtime was more of the same. The biggest chance came with just fourteen seconds remaining on the clock and the Bobcats on the power play. Sophomore forward Alex Whelan sent a pass into the crease from the right faceoff circle, hoping to latch onto the recently scorching hot Landon Smith. Smith attempted to get on the puck, but missed the puck with a wide open look at goal, and sent himself hurtling into the net instead.
The Bobcats will certainly have to regroup after a deflating result, but two out-of-conference games at home have the potential to set them back on the right track. Quinnipiac plays host to the University of Maine Black Bears (6-7-1 overall, 4-4-1 Hockey East), and puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8.
