The feisty rivalry between Quinnipiac University Bobcats and Yale Bulldogs reached its peak a decade ago and since then has been fizzling out in an uneventful decline. Whitney avenue has been a one-way street for the Hamden Heavyweights.

The Quinnipiac Bobcats are the No.1 team in university hockey with an outstanding overall record of 24-3-3. They currently have won six games in a row.

Rand Pecknold’s pack is leading nine of the 15 team categories in the ECAC and six of the 15 individual statistical categories. Six skaters have 20+ points, 14 skaters have recorded double digits in points, and five skaters have tucked away 10+ goals. Three skaters have 30+ blocks, and nine of the top 10 skaters lead the entire ECAC in the plus-minus table.

In the Bobcats’ last 10 matchups, they are 9-1 against the Yale Bulldogs. Hamden’s hockey squad has not allowed a goal in four straight matchups and has not lost since Feb. 9, 2018. In 22 matchups dating back to 2013, Quinnipiac has only lost twice.

The Yale Bulldogs’ most notable victory in the rivalry’s storybook was in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where the Bulldogs won the National Championship on April 13, 2013, in a 4-0 shutout. Since then, they have only won two games.

Have your eyes peeled on the blue creases under Friday night’s lights? The Bulldogs will have to dig deep and fight hard in order to leave Hamden with a victory. Yaniv Perets’ is currently looking to blank three straight opponents. As for the Bulldogs, Luke Pearson has a losing record but leads the ECAC in save percentage and in ranks third in the goals against average category.

Perets’ has a record of 24-3-3, a six-game win streak, a two-game shutout streak, a save percentage of .926, and a goals against average of 1.65. While Luke Pearson has a record of 4-6-4, a save percentage of .931, and a goals against average of 2.04.

Yale will have to pull off the impossible to emerge victorious. Marching down Whitney avenue the Bulldogs will have to enter M&T Bank Arena as if they were the Greeks at Thermopylae. The puck drops at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 17. Clever Streich and David Maher will be on call for QBSN radio.