Photo courtesy Quinnipiac Athletics
By: Kyle Levasseur
The last time Quinnipiac skated off the ice at High Point Solutions Arena, 29-game unbeaten streak in ECAC regular season play was snapped. The Bobcats have now lost back-to-back home games for the first time since a three game skid in Feb. 2014, after falling to Princeton 4-1 on Saturday.
Head coach Rand Pecknold expressed his disappointment as his team’s overall record dropped to 10-7-2, and ECAC record to 6-4-1.
“We had issues from the get go. We struggled all game with composure and poise. Our compete level was iffy at best – a little better in the second, but one of the weaker games we’ve played in awhile.”
Princeton jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and never looked back. The Tiger’s leading point scorer, Max Véronneau, struck first just over three minutes into the first period. Princeton added to its lead with a power play goal off the stick of red-hot Ryan Kuffner, his sixth goal in the last six games.
Quinnipiac goalie, Chris Truehl was pulled after the first period, saving 9-of-11 shots. Over the last three games, Truehl has posted a .803 save percentage. Freshman, Andrew Shortridge, took over for the second and third period saving 16-of-17 shots.
Yet, Pecknold does not place all the blame on Truehl.
At first, it seemed Pecknold’s plan was going to work. Only 24 seconds into the second period, Kevin Duane cut Princeton’s lead in half with a breakaway wrister, giving him three goals in the last three games.
His progression has been clear since he returned on Nov. 25 from an injury.
“It’s been a little bit of luck and being in the right place at the right time,” Duane said. “It’s getting more comfortable playing again after taking a year off. Things are coming together.”
Duane’s goal was all the Bobcats would get however, as Princeton goalie Colton Phinney stopped 33-of-34 shots.
Phinney was not the only problem for Quinnipiac. While the Bobcat’s power play seemed to be improving, scoring five power play goals in the last three games, it struggled against Princeton on Saturday, not scoring at all on five opportunities.
Pecknold feels it’s difficult to find any positives from this weekend.
“No, this was bad. You know it’s disappointing when you lose games, but I think I’m more disappointed in how we lost. I just don’t think it was typical Quinnipiac identity at all.”
“It was disappointing, but it’s a good group of guys and we’ve got some talent here, so we’ll reload,” Pecknold said.
