Photo Courtesy: Quinnipiac Athletics
LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK – Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey has been one of the most successful programs in the country the last four years. Coming into Saturday night’s ECAC championship game against Harvard, Quinnipiac had 105 wins. It added win number 106 and its first ECAC championship trophy as Quinnipiac defeated Harvard 4-1 from Herb Brooks Arena.
“I thought it was a phenomenal effort you know at times it got a little chaotic it wasn’t the prettiest thing on the planet but our battle level was phenomenal in the second and third (periods),” Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold said after the game.
“The big sheet I thought was really to their (Harvard) advantage. You know they beat one guy we got a second guy coming they beat a second guy we have a third guy coming that is how we won all year.”
Entering Saturday, Sam Anas and Connor Clifton were arguably the most important players for the Bobcats. Anas came into the game leading the ECAC in points with 48, and Clifton has been the hottest player in the playoffs (seven assists coming into Saturday). Focal points of the team’s success in the playoffs, both players suffered injuries in the first period. Clifton went down in a heap after a knee-on-knee collision with the adversary. Anas was launched into the boards and collided with the glass helmet first.
“He (Anas) drives our team. Puck possession, making plays, our power plays, five on threes there is so much he can do. It’a a little early to tell if we are going to have him next weekend but obviously we lost him tonight and the rest of the guys stepped up and we found a way to win which we have done all year.”
The Bobcats played the entire first period on their hind legs as the Crimson were flying around the ice sporting an active forecheck. Michael Garteig was the best player on the ice for Quinnipiac in the first period as he made 10 saves, something he has become accustomed to doing multiple times this season.
Quinnipiac needed a response. It entered the second period on a five-minute powerplay down two of its premier players. It answered, fast. In just three minutes the whole game changed as Tim Clifton and Bo Pieper scored to give the Bobcats a 2-0 lead.
“Yea we have structure we had three units ready to go. We kept it simple we had the same breakout for all three in case the kids were switching a little bit but in the end we just said get pucks to the net and we had two or three bodies in front of the net and lets get some greasy goals and it worked out for us,” Pecknold said.
The resilient bunch continued to ride the momentum into its next man advantage and capitalized. K.J. Tiefenwerth flipped one past Harvard goalie Merrick Madsen forcing Harvard head coach Ted Donato to use his timeout, his team now the one on their heels.
Immediately after the timeout Ryan Donato answered his father’s call as he snapped a beautiful shot past Garteig’s shoulder. But that was all Harvard would be able to muster against Quinnipiac.
Scott Davidson added an empty-net goal to seal the win for the Bobcats, giving them their first ECAC title in program history.
As the final buzzer sounded a shower of gold and blue gloves rained down the ice as the Bobcats piled onto Garteig in jubilation. However, Quinnipiac has only accomplished goal two of the four they came into the season hoping to finish. The third, reach the Frozen Four. Fourth, win the National Championship.
As head coach Rand Pecknold walked out to greet the euphoria on the ice, he couldn’t help but think about his team’s future possibly without Anas.
“We don’t want anyone to get hurt and your All-American gets run from behind now I’m already thinking is he going to be ready next week? He had an injury we needed to deal with last year he played against North Dakota but he was about 40 percent. We are a different team without Sam, we just are,” Pecknold said.
The NCAA selection show is Sunday at 12 p.m. on ESPNU. Quinnipiac’s location and opponent in the first round of the NCAA Tournament will be determined then.
