After a dominant 9-2 victory to open this unique 2020-21 season, the Quinnipiac men’s hockey team returned to the ice in Hamden on Tuesday to finish a back-to-back with the Sacred Heart Pioneers.

Just 24 hours after a convincing victory, this contest was much closer and required extra time to determine a winner.

The scoring began at the 7:04 mark in the first period when first-year Ty Smilanic knocked home his first Quinnipiac goal on a breakaway opportunity and was able to finish while being hooked by Sacred Heart sophomore Jeppe Urup.

“It felt pretty special,” Smilanic said. “It was kind of a fluky goal, I don’t know how I ended up on a breakaway but at the end of the day, it was cool to give the team the lead.”

Despite recording 18 shots on goal in that first period, the Bobcats struggled to find the back of the net after that point as the Pioneers were able to stave off their offensive opportunities in the second period.

Pioneers goalie Josh Benson had his work cut out for him and showed up, recording 32 saves on 34 shots on goal.

Six of those Benson shots saved came from Quinnipiac assistant captain Wyatt Bongiovanni, who also recorded an assist on the Smilanic goal and almost increased the Bobcats lead with a shot that glanced off the left post in the opening seconds of the third period.

When Sacred Heart junior Emil Ohrvall was sent to the box for a boarding call at the 8:37 mark of the third period, Quinnipiac was looking to capitalize on a power-play opportunity.

This was one area that was a constant struggle all game for the Bobcats, a lack of success on an ample number of chances on the man advantage. The Pioneers successfully killed off eight Bobcat power plays on the night and continued to trail 1-0.

With 2:49 remaining, Braeden Tuck was able to score as he got one off a fortunate rebound to put it past Bobcats senior goaltender Keith Petruzelli, leveling the score at 1-1.

This game would head to overtime, with a twist. The new rules in ECAC Hockey, beginning this season, is now a 3-on-3 format for the extra period, which could perhaps create possibilities for a team to win instead of simply tying.

About halfway through the overtime period, the Bobcats marched down into their offensive zone. It was again Wyatt Bongiovanni who found the puck off of a nice cross-ice feed from senior captain Odeen Tufto and sizzled a slapshot right by Sacred Heart’s Benson to secure the 2-1 overtime victory for Quinnipiac.

“Odeen did a good job of entering the zone…find ice, had the patience to look for the right play,” Bongiovanni said. “My goal was to get lost in space and hope he can find me and the golden road kind of just opened up for me and the rest is history.”

Bongiovanni also spoke on the new overtime format and his thoughts on how the team has adapted to it.

“The 3-on-3 is an interesting format. We’ve been practicing it, getting used to it. I was excited. Obviously, you never want a game to go there, but when it does you’ve gotta have the confidence that you’ll come out on top.”

The win did not mean that Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold was satisfied with the effort in what was at some times, lackluster.

“Mentally, we need to be locked in for 120 [minutes] in a two-game set and we weren’t tonight,” Pecknold said. “The second period we had a lot of issues from a mental standpoint. Mentally, physically fatigued…We’ve gotta lock it in and be ready to play 60 every night.”

The Bobcats will use this mentality moving forward as they look to continue their early-season winning streak against #12/13 Bowling Green this weekend in Hamden as part of another back-to-back.