@ CORNELL 1, Quinnipiac 3 … Box Score | Game Recap | Video Highlights
@ CORNELL 5, Princeton 0 … Box Score | Game Recap | Video Highlights
Friday night, Quinnipiac is like us, and they can be a rough, frustrating team to play against, although we have had success against them at Lynah Rink. This was their first win in Ithaca since 2018. On Saturday night against Princeton, we finally scored on a power play … our first of the season! Obviously, you cannot win without good play from your special teams!
The Bobcats took a 1-0 lead at 7:45 of the first period, when graduate student defenseman Aaron Bohlinger scored on the power play with one second left. It was tough to give up a power play goal. We talked about a lack of chemistry, and changes are needed.
We tied the score with 2:35 remaining in the opening period, when sophomore forward Jonathan Castagna deflected a shot into the net from senior defenseman Tim Rego. The second period was scoreless, but the visitors took the lead for good at 8:11 of the final period with a shot that beat senior goaltender Ian Shane high to his glove side. In the final two minutes of play, we managed eight shots-on-goal but to no avail. The third Quinnipiac goal went into an empty net with two seconds remaining.
It was a tough loss, giving up a power-play goal to lose again on special teams. Shane made twenty saves, while the visitors’ goaltender stopped fifteen shots. We were 0-for-2 on the power play, and they were 1-for-2.
We played much better on Saturday night, including our special teams. We made changes to the power play lines and scored twice over five opportunities.
Nine minutes into the game, junior forward Dalton Bancroft, who had been held to one shot on Friday night, converted a pass from first year forward Charlie Major with a successful shot from the top of the slot. Two minutes later, sophomore forward Jake Kraft took a wrap-around pass from Tim Rego and one-timed the puck from the base of the crease past the goaltender. With 4:12 remaining in the first period, senior defenseman Michael Suda wristed a shot from the point that bounced off senior forward Ondrej Psenicka into the net, making it 3-0 after 20 minutes of play.
As on Friday, the second period was scoreless. At 7:11 of the third period, we scored a power-play goal! Sophomore defenseman Ben Robertson found forward Ryan Walsh on the back door for the PPG that has eluded us all season. It was good to see those guys get the job done on Saturday night. Robertson added a second power-play goal at 15:48, with assists to classmate George Fegaras and Charlie Major (his second assist of the game).
Shane made twenty-one saves, and the Princeton goaltender stopped nineteen shots. Shane recorded his Division I-leading 12th career shutout. Ian was outstanding. He was strong down low when they tried to bring pucks to the net. The special team’s game was much improved due to our line changes. We were 2-for-5, and Princeton was 0-for-5.
We have a week to prepare for a rematch with Quinnipiac at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, November 30th. This promises to be an exciting game and the ticket sales are going very well. The team is looking forward to playing in the Garden, and anticipating the fantastic fan support we get in NYC. Now that I am a true U.S. citizen, I want to wish everyone a safe and fun-filled American Thanksgiving.