The Manhattan Jaspers came into Hamden on Wednesday afternoon and were able to beat the Quinnipiac Bobcats, 12-5. 

The game started off well for the Bobcats, who scored the opening goal five minutes in when John Delucia was able to come out front from behind the net and pick a corner past the Jaspers goalie.

This was matched by the Jaspers getting on the board with a Scott O’Connor goal from the left side. This tying goal started off a stretch of four goals in the span of 4:12.

When the dust had finally settled from all the scoring, it was the Bobcats who went into the second quarter with a 3-2 lead.

It was all Manhattan from this point on.

Manhattan came out in the second quarter and scored the first four goals in the frame to take a 6-3 lead.

“I thought we had some good spurts,” said Quinnipiac head coach Mason Poli. “But they got us there in some late shot clocks with us not organized.”

It was a stretch that concluded with O’Connor’s second goal of the game on a rocket from far out.

The Bobcats were able to stop the bleeding late in the quarter when Justin Robbert was able to pick up a loose ball in front of the net and put it into an open goal.

The Bobcats thought they had cut the deficit to 6-5 when a late long shot from the goalie Nick DiMuccio found its way into the back of the net. But the refs ruled it out much to the dismay of all those in the crowd rooting for the Bobcats.

The score had remained 6-4 with Manhattan in the lead going into the half.

It was a much closer third quarter as both sides came out with a high intensity but it was the Jaspers who were able to take advantage of their chances. 

Quinn Bowler was able to get off a shot from in close after a nice passing display by the Jaspers. This was followed up by O’Connor getting his hat trick goal later in the quarter after he was able to spin out of danger on multiple occasions until he was able to find his spot and he made no mistake.

Manhattan on the back of these two goals had some cushion going into the final quarter, up 8-4.

The fourth quarter was an offensive explosion for the Jaspers as a penalty to the Bobcats at the end of the third came back to haunt them as in the first minute of the quarter and power play, Kelly DuPree made no mistake ripping a shot short side.

The Jaspers were able to get the next two goals as well, when they turned good transition plays into many passes and were able to pick apart the Bobcats defense leading to some wide open shots.

The Bobcats were able to get on the board not too long after as Jake Tellers was able to find the back of the net to give the Bobcats some life.

“The boys fought,” Poli said. “There was never a matter of the will being there.”

This was matched a few minutes later by Manhattan with a Drew Hiner goal that concluded the scoring and resulted in the 12-5 victory.

The Bobcats will look to get back on track when they get on the road to play Mount St. Mary’s at noon on Saturday, April 1.