Photo Courtesy: Quinnipiac Athletics
By: M.J. Baird
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Quinnipiac sophomore defenseman and Washington Capitals draft pick, Chase Priskie suffered a hit from behind about halfway through the first period in Wednesday night’s game.
Priskie was slow to get up, and as he was helped off the ice, held a towel to his forehead, bleeding. Priskie left behind a pool of blood in the end zone corner.
The Pembroke Pines native did not return to the game.
Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold said after the 5-2 win over UConn that there was no update on Priskie’s injury.
Many nights this season, however, Pecknold has an extra amenity: a seventh defenseman on the roster. His name? Luke Shiplo.
“It certainly was a luxury to have him tonight ready to go,” Pecknold said. “We had to scramble a little bit. We juggled, moved (Shiplo) back.”
Luke Shiplo appeared in 13 games last season for Quinnipiac, but as a defenseman. This year, Shiplo is on the line sheet as the third line left wing. Pecknold says he wants Shiplo in the starting lineup to run the second power play unit this season.
The ability to transition Shiplo back onto defense with the loss of Priskie is just one example of the depth of the Quinnipiac team this season.
“I think we have a lot of depth on our team this season, and we have a lot of depth on our d-core as well,” freshman defenseman Brogan Rafferty said. “We have a lot of guys that can step up in our time of need.”
The defense is not the only aspect of the team that can display depth, however.
12 different Bobcats recorded a point in the game; and each goal was scored by a different skater.
“That is how we are going to have to win this year. Find a way to score goals in a lot of different ways,” Pecknold said. “We certainly don’t have as much firepower but we have good players.”
Andrew Taverner, Craig Martin, Thomas Aldworth, Brogan Rafferty and Connor Clifton found the back of the net for the Bobcats. A further breakdown: three forwards and two defensemen.
Aldworth scored what ended up being the game winner for the Bobcats. He used his speed to his advantage, whipping around the back of the net and scoring a backhand wrap-around goal.
Rafferty notched his first collegiate goal, and in breakaway fashion.
“It was awesome,” Rafferty said. “I played against that goalie probably ten times last year. I knew to get him moving left to right and put it in on the ice.”
Connor Clifton added the final goal for the Bobcats, bringing the Quinnipiac defensive goal total this season to four, over 20 percent of the team’s goals.
“We have a really active d-core. They are very skilled and they were very good tonight moving pucks,” Pecknold said.
Quinnipiac has a clear depth in the defensive unit being able to fill voids, plus a variety of point getters on the front end. Where else can you display depth? Well there only is one other aspect of the game: goaltending.
Rand Pecknold thinks his team has depth in this facet of the game as well.
“We have three goalies,” Pecknold said more than once this season and again Wednesday night after the game. “This is what we have right now and Chris (Truehl) has played well and Andrew (Shortridge) has played well. And we like Sean Lawrence too.”
Treuhl started four games for the Bobcats, while Shortridge has only gotten the starting nod in one. Lawrence has yet to start a game, but played one period of action in the exhibition game against McGill.
Truehl recorded 29 saves on 31 shots tonight, earning his second win of the season and propelling the Bobcats to their fourth win of the season.
The Bobcats will return to action Saturday on the road to face the No. 7 ranked Boston University Terriers. Amid questions of whether Chase Priskie will be back or whether Kevin Duane will get the start against his former team, is perhaps the biggest question of all: Who will start in net for the Bobcats?
For Truehl, there is an added pressure to perform, but practice is what matters.
“There is a little bit of pressure everyday. Up until the last day I may not know if I am going to play,” Truehl said. “It keeps me going, makes me keep my head down and make whatever saves I can in practice to get ready for the game.”
Only time will tell who will take the crease in Boston on Saturday. A matchup that very well could be an early postseason preview.
