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Article by: Tom Krosnowski

The Quinnipiac Bobcats men’s ice hockey team’s season is over.

The Bobcats came up short in the NCAA regional final against the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, losing 3-1 to end a season that defied preseason expectations.

The Bobcats came out flat, mustering just 10 shots through the first two periods before falling behind 2-0. Although a Craig Martin goal made it a 2-1 game with only two minutes to go, Minnesota Duluth captain Parker Mackay stripped Quinnipiac captain Chase Priskie of the puck and fired home an empty-netter that sealed the deal for the Bulldogs.

While the late push got the Bobcats back in the game, head coach Rand Pecknold believes that the team lost the game in the first two periods.

“We just didn’t play well for two periods,” Pecknold said. “We lost a lot of stick battles, we lost a lot of races. I thought we reloaded and we recharged, and our compete level was where it should be in the third period.”

Minnesota-Duluth, a team known for its stifling defense, made things difficult for Quinnipiac early. The Bulldogs were more physical, which forced the Bobcats to dump and chase and take perimeter shots more often than they game-planned for.

“They manhandled us tonight,” Pecknold said. “We couldn’t find space, there was a lot of interference out there tonight. We had to be tougher, and battle through it better.”

“They just played a really structured game,” Priskie said. “They let the play come to them, and wait for turnovers, and they try to pounce on it. I don’t think we did a good enough job getting pucks in establishing a forecheck for the first two periods.”

For Priskie and the rest of the seniors, this will go down as the final game of their careers. Although they fell short of their ultimate goal this year, the group takes pride in their careers and the future of the program.

“I had a fantastic four years, something I wouldn’t trade for the world,” Priskie said. “I’m really lucky to be able to play with a lot of former teammates that have mentored me and then try to do my job this year and mentor some of the younger guys. So, the thing for me is to try and leave a mark on this program.”

“I can’t say anything bad about Quinnipiac,” an emotional Scott Davidson said. “It’s been the best four years of my life. All the friends I’ve made, and the memories. I don’t know what else to say.”

While the senior class leaves a storied legacy behind, this season’s success has been fueled even more so by the freshmen. No class on this year’s Quinnipiac squad scored more goals (52) or points (122) than the freshmen did, and Pecknold believes that they will help the program continue to grow.

“It’s a young group,” Pecknold said. “We’ll have to reassess in a few days here. We’ll see if we lose some underclassmen to the NHL, there’s always that threat. I like where we’re at, it’s not just with the talent that we have, but the character.”

Though the Bobcats’ season has ended on a sour note, Pecknold admired how his team bounced back from a poor 2017-18 season, while also looking ahead to the future.

“Last year was our first losing season in 20 years,” Pecknold said. “I think we got the program back on track this year with a trip to the Elite Eight, and 26 wins.”

“I am proud of our effort this year and disappointed in the result, but we’ll be back,” he said.

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