TD Banknorth Center??? IN 3…4 PARTS (4) by Steve Tisi

10:25 – Ahh…arrival to the good’ol bus.  Far cry from yesterday’s bus that had an entire team on it and a bunch of young people.  Today, a few old people, young people, people with QU beads.  The bus today was the preverbal melting pot…of about 15 people.

 

10:30 – I have just been informed that Quinnipiac is selling blue and yellow beads.  They are SELLING blue and yellow beads.  Is there really a profit to be made on blue and yellow beads?  Maybe I can paint a few quarters blue and yellow and try to get a dollar for them…I can’t make this stuff up.  Oh, and here we go up the road to the TD Banknoth Sports Center.

 

10:35 – I have to ask…who saw the appearance of the cleaning lady from Mountainview?  Oh this is a special place.  Side Note: This place is still an amazing place to enter…yeah we definitely don’t play in the NIP anymore.

 

12:07 – The puck has dropped with a Quinnipiac win of the face-off.

 

12:09 – Wow, I thought this team was supposed to be small and not hard hitting at all.  I think Bates is out to dispel that.  Early notes, both teams have come out to play and the action has been fast and hard.  No one team has the clear advantage but QU is going out there to beat some people around

 

12:15 – Four quick shots on goal, but Ian Dams, goalie for Holy Cross, put on some damage control.  Quinnipiac is showing a little more now, holding the puck to their end of the ice.

 

12:18 – Quick Stat:  Shots on Goal – QU: 3 HC: 0     No Score

 

12:21 – Holy Cross probably should have scored on the last series.  A couple quick shots Bud Fisher was able to hold off

 

12:22 – After an awkward hit, star defenseman Jon Landry is down on the ice.  Bill, the Holy Cross coach next to us, told us that he is their best defensemen and most likely will be in the NHL next year

 

12:28 – Jon is still down on the ice and it’s really not looking good.  Someone said his leg was being splinted and as of now the teams are skating around to stay warmed up. 

 

12:31 – Ok what the hell why hasn’t the stretcher come out yet to get him in an ambulance.  He’s been down for around 10 minutes now are ya be kidding me. 

 

12:36 – Still no ambulance…still on the ice

 

12:40 – We have the Connecticut State Police out on the ice with a back board and are going to carry out young Jon Landry. 

 

12:42 – After a 20 minute delay, the police and other TD Banknorth Officials helped left Jon off the ice to a standing ovation from the crowed.

 

12:45 – Coming back out the Bobcats look a little stiff.  Not as fast as they started but Holy Cross has not been able to capitalize on the lack passing by the Bobcats, and good ice position they have had

 

12:48 – Side note…a Holy Cross guy just tried to check one of our guys…yeah the Holy Cross guy is now on the ice

 

12:50 – Bud Fisher just showed why he’s the starting goalie on this team after saving 2 great shots by HC’s Dale Reinhardt

 

12:51 – Not to be out shown Ian Dams just made an absolutely amazing save.  I think we’re looking a slugfest here

 

12:58 – As the period comes to an end, we had so many chances that just didn’t come together.  Quinnipiac applied a lot of pressure and held Holy Cross to their end of the ice for most of the time.  I will liken it to the QU Woman’s game yesterday, where Mercyhurst held us to our end of ice and pounded away until they tired them out.  It seems this game is heading in the same direction.

 

1:01 – As half time progresses we are treated to, “Dancing with Boomer”  I think Mike Radomski put it best…”Why?”

 

1:05 – MAMBO #5!!!!!

 

1:14 – The 2^nd is about to begin and my favorite stat has hit my eyes Total Shots Attempted: QU:22 HC:10

 

1:20 – Jean-Marc Beaudoin got crushed to the HEAD.  Yeah only a little bit of a penalty by Matt Burke

 

1:22 – GOOOAAALLLL …IT IS ELECTRYFYING.  The crowd is going insane after getting the goal they so desperately wanted  A short hander by Matt Sorteberg gives Quinnipiac a 1-0 lead.  Side-Note: Assisted by Cashman and Leech

 

1:23 – I just came to the realization that the first person to score a goal in the TD Banknorth Center was…Matt Sorteberg….hmm

 

1:27 – I step away from my post to go talk to someone and BAM…Eric Lampe nets one unassisted to give QU the 2-0 lead

 

1:28 – I can’t keep up…QU is scoring to quickly for me to type.  Dan LeFort decided to get in on the action and move up the score to 3-0.  I need to give my fingers a rest.

 

1:31 – I can’t finish a sentence and it happens again…#11 Brian Leitch jumps in and makes it 4-0.  Credit where credit is due these goals are just looking nicer and nicer every time.

 

1:33 – (In Steve’s Mind) Should I rescind the great goaltending comments for Ian Dams…we’ll come back it.

 

1:37 – After a hodgepodge of goals Quinnipiac is still laying it on thick…Dams may have a rough 3^rd ahead of him…and there’s still 5:40 left in this period.

 

1:47 – As the period come to an end both teams apply pressure, but Quinnipiac showed why they are in the ECAC.  Holy Cross tried to hold them off as long as they could, but, the great D and constant shots on goal did them in. 

 

1:50 – Ok wait….there was a push your friend in a sled race…then at the end they had to leap frog the other person in to a goal….how can I say more.

 

1:52 – (Steve’s thinking) They really need to bring back the “Quinnipiac Squishy Balls” 

 

2:03 – Welcome back and the 3^rd period is just about to get underway.  Prediction time…Final Score: Quinnipiac 6 Holy Cross 0

 

2:07 – Holy Cross is going to have to step it up at some point or this is just going to get worse.  Goal by #19 Jamie Bates to make it 5-0

 

2:09 – Huge credit goes out to the student section, the energy is just amazing.  Though, the lack of a pep-band is depressing.

 

2:15 – It’s to keep commenting on this game because it is such a dominating effort by Quinnipiac.  Goal by Mark Agnew makes it 6-0

 

2:16 – A minute??? A minute??? 7-0…credit Greg Holt with a goal

 

2:19 – We sit in the midst of another delay because of a broken stand that hold the glass together.  Once again the student section comes up big with a, “you can do it” while the guy is trying to fix the problem right in front of them and then giving him a standing ovation when he did. I’ll probably be back in a little for another goal.

 

2:30 – Oh come on guys…no goal in 14 minutes.  So disappointed

 

2:33 – Rookie goalie Zach Kleiman gets to head in for the final 5 minutes.  Though he won’t get the shutout, Fisher deserves an amazing amount of credit keeping all 14 shots he saw out of the net.

 

2:35 – Holy Cross just got their first shot of the period…dominating a little?

 

2:40 – That will end it, another dominating performance on both sides of the puck for the Bobcats.  There are no amounts of words that can describe what we just witnessed.

 

 

Let’s wrap it up

           

            After a weekend at the TD Banknorth Center, I can honestly say that it has been worth the wait.  This is an amazing, professional arena that really puts Quinnipiac on the map.  Congratulations go out to the entire Quinnipiac University community; the big four finally have a home.