He’s a Pro

He’s a Pro
by Seth Rothman
March 21, 2007

HAMDEN — Reid Cashman is a professional hockey player.

The former Bobcats Ice Hockey captain has signed a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and will suit up for the Toronto Marlies — the Leafs’ AHL team — on Friday against Syracuse.

Cashman, likely the program’s most decorated player ever, has long said he was going to honor his commitment to Quinnipiac for all four years. He did that, and after his collegiate career ended on Saturday evening, he quickly signed the deal on Monday. It was announced on Tuesday afternoon.

“I’ve been through the gamut of emotions,” Cashman said. “Making those first calls to say I’m getting an NHL contract, I got chills and was shaking a bit. It’s a dream come true and I’m on cloud nine right now.”

“I’m extremely excited for Reid as he embarks on the start of his professional career,” Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold said. “Reid has made a tremendous commitment to evolve as a player over the course of the past four years. He has left an indelible mark on our program at Quinnipiac, and I wish him all the best as he moves forward.” 

The contract is a 2-way contract, meaning Cashman has a chance to make the jump to the NHL’s Leafs before the season is out. That seems unlikely, though, because the Marlies only have 14 games left in their season and the Maple Leafs are competing for the last spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

“We’ll see how it goes,” Cashman said. “In the AHL, you’re only a step away from the NHL and you never know what could happen.” 

Cashman currently leads the ECACHL with 38 assists on the year, a total that puts him 3rd nationally.  

The Red Wing, Minnesota native becomes only the third player in Quinnipiac history to sign a professional contract, joining goaltenders Justin Eddy (Washington after the 2003-2004 season) and Jamie Holden (San Jose after 2004-2005).

Cashman’s distinguished career at Quinnipiac started when the Bobcats were in the Atlantic Hockey League, playing home games at the Northford Ice Pavilion. It ends with Quinnipiac near the top of the ECAC Hockey League playing home games in the TD Banknorth Sports Center.

Cashman finished his Quinnipiac career on Saturday as the program’s all-time assists leader, in part thanks to his 38 assists this season. He had 125 assists in his Quinnipiac career, and is atop the list of games played as a Bobcat, totalling 151 games played.

Information from quinnipiacbobcats.com and the New Haven Register were used in this report.

Clarkson prevails in ECACHL Championship Game

Clarkson prevails in ECACHL Championship Game
by Seth Rothman
March 18, 2007

ALBANY, New York — The Quinnipiac Bobcats were right where they wanted to be.

2nd intermission, leading Clarkson 2-0.

But that third period saw the #5 Golden Knights score 4 goals, one of them an empty netter, to end #18 Quinnipiac’s season. Clarkson advances to the NCAA Tournament as the #1 seed in the Rochester, NY region.

Quinnipiac got on the board first, thanks to freshman Jean-Marc Beaudoin. He took the puck on the far side boards, moved in on Clarkson goalie David Leggio, and fired a shot five-hole past the ECACHL First team goaltender to give Quinnipiac a 1-0 lead 32 seconds into the contest. 19 minutes later, Quinnipiac struck again. Bryan Leitch scored on the power play with 6.2 seconds left in the opening stanza to give Quinnipiac a 2-0 lead.

The score remained the same through the second period, but in the third the Bobcats ran out of gas. Clarkson scored 1:42 into the third period to halve the QU lead thanks to a goal by Chris D’Alvise.

The wheels, however, were just beginning to fall off for the Bobcats. Clarkson scored twice within a 50 second span midway through the period to take the lead, and an empty netter by Shawn Weller sealed the Bobcats fate.

Quinnipiac ends the season 21-14-5, and one win, one period away from the ECACHL Championship and a berth into the NCAA Tournament.

Men’s Hockey 1 win away from NCAA Tournament

Men’s Hockey 1 win away from NCAA Tournament
by Seth Rothman
March 17, 2007

ALBANY, New York — The Quinnipiac Bobcats Men’s Ice Hockey team is one win away from the NCAA Tournament after beating St. Lawrence 4-0 last night in the ECACHL Semi-finals at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y. yesterday afternoon.

Ben Nelson scored twice, and Bud Fisher made 23 saves to record his second shut-out in 3 games. Brandon Wong and David Marshall scored the other 2 goals for the Bobcats (21-13-5). Bryan Leitch had 2 assists, while Reid Cashman dished out his 38th assist of the season.

Quinnipiac advances to the ECAC Hockey League Championship Game tonight at 8 pm vs. Clarkson. The Golden Knights reached the title game after narrowly defeating Dartmouth 5-4 thanks to a Steve Zalewski goal with 41 seconds left in the third period.

The game will be televised nationally on CSTV, Matt McConnell and Dave Starman will have the call. It will also be broadcasted by AM 1220, WQUN. Bill Schweizer, Don Boyle, and Mike Kobylanski will have the call.

The Bobcats are appearing in their 5th conference tournament final in the last 7 years, and are looking to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002.

Stay with the WQAQ.com Sports Blog throughout the weekend for more on the Bobcats.

Quinnipiac losing streak reaches 3 with 4-2 loss

By: Michael Radomski
WQAQ Quinnipiac Baseball Beat Writer 
March 15, 2007 

Ormond Beach (Fla.)- Quinnipiac’s losing streak continued yesterday with a 4-2 loss at the hands of Bethune Cookman.

 

Pat Egan started for QU and was rocked early in his first start since 2005. The senior, coming off of Tommy John surgery, was tacked for four runs in the first inning. The first six Wildcat hitters reached base safely and BCC cleanup hitter Angel Negron ripped a two run single to push the Wildcat lead to 4 runs.

 

The Bobcats went scoreless in the first two innings and in the bottom of the second, Coach Gooley made the move to pull Pat Egan. Andy Mayer entered the game for the Bobcats and pitched the rest of the way.

 

Mayer pitched a splendid seven shutout innings allowing four hits and two walks. Mayer kept QU in the game, and all the Bobcats needed were some runs.  

 

Down 4-0, the Bobcats did not score until the third inning when Randy Gress hit an RBI single. The Bobcats continued to struggle against Wildcat starter Hiram Burgos as the game progressed, and couldn’t score again until the 8^th.

 

In the top half of that inning, the Bobcats would add one more run off Burgos on a Randy Gress home run, but it proved to be the last Bobcat run of the day.  

 

Bethune-Cookman won 4-2 with solid pitching and an early 4-run first inning that set the tone for the rest of the game. With the win, the Wildcats improve to 7-15, while the Bobcats’ record drops to 2-5.

 

The Bobcats will play this afternoon against the Los Angeles Dodgers A club at Vero Beach beginning at 1 PM. This exhibition game will end the Bobcats’ stay in the Sunshine State.

Six run 7th sends Stetson to victory over QU

By: Michael Radomski
Quinnipiac Baseball Beat Writer
March 14, 2007 

DeLand (Fla.) -Stetson University defeated Quinnipiac for the second time in as many days yesterday 13-6. This time the Hatters needed a six run 7^th inning to come out victorious.

For the first time all year, Quinnipiac jumped out to the early lead and scored first. Starter Andy Mauldin allowed a leadoff single to Wilson Matos setting up Pete Kummerfeldt. The NEC Player of the Week relinquished the opportunity and crushed a two run home run to right field. The first pitch home run was Kummerfeldt’s second home run of the season, giving Quinnipiac a 2-0 lead.

 

Joe Cesarini started, after pitching in relief two days earlier. Cesarini pitched a perfect 1-2-3 first inning, but fell into trouble in the second.

 

Following two leadoff singles, Cesarini answered with two fly ball outs, but Josh Clendenin’s RBI single bridged the gap to just one run.

 

Quinnipiac would go scoreless in the top half of the 3^rd, but Stetson would not. The Hatters rallied for two more runs off of Cesarini to take a 3-2 lead.

 

Coach Gooley pulled Cesarini to start the bottom of the 4^th inning and replaced him with Joe Duffy. A sacrifice fly from shortstop Kevin Johnson increased the lead to two for Stetson.

 

In the top of the fifth, the Bobcats would take the run back with a Tim Binkoski RBI single. However, the Hatters added a run in the bottom of the sixth to push the lead back to two.

 

With the score 5-3 in the 7th, Quinnipiac clawed for one more run to close the gap to one. Brian Monack scored as Ryan Rizzo hit the ball to shortstop Kevin Johnson, who committed the error that plated Monack.

However, in the bottom of the seventh, the Hatters took firm control of the game. Stetson University rocked Joe Duffy and Tyler Brett for six runs on eight hits. The Hatter simply would not be denied rallying for the 11-4 lead.

The Bobcats would go scoreless in their half of the eighth, but the Hatters would add two more runs advancing the lead.

Quinnipiac would add two more runs in the ninth, but the Hatters still prevailed 13-6. The Bobcats’ record dropped to 2-4 with the loss as Stetson University improved to 14-6 with the 13-6 victory. The Bobcats will now face Bethune-Cookman tonight at 6:45.

QU’s shaky start, late errors costly in Stetson victory

By: Michael Radomski
WQAQ Quinnipiac Baseball Beat Writer 
March 13, 2007 

DeLand (Fla.) - The Hatters of Stetson University defeated the Quinnipiac Bobcats 9-7 last night.

Quinnipiac again trailed early, a trend that has haunted the Bobcats too often this season. Yesterday, Stetson University led 5-0 after the first three innings and appeared to be on their way to victory.

The Hatters rallied verse Bobcat starter Paul Gibson for two early runs in the bottom of the 1st. Cleanup hitter Justin Bass ripped a double down the left field line, scoring both Shane Jordan and Braedyn Pruitt.

Up 2-0 in the 2^nd, the Hatters added two more runs with a Josh Clendenin RBI double and an RBI groundout to 2^nd from Shane Jordan.

In the bottom of the 3^rd inning, Justin Bass continued his bashing of the Bobcats with a solo home run to lead off the inning. Bass’ bash, his 1st of the season, propelled the Hatters an early 5-0 lead, but once again Quinnipiac started the comeback.  

In the top of the 4^th inning, Quinnipiac finally put a run on the board courtesy NEC Player of the Week Pete Kummerfeldt. The New Jersey native singled home Randy Gress to cut the lead to four.

Stetson stormed back with another run in the bottom half from their cleanup hitter Justin Bass. The DeLand native continued to wreak havoc on Gibson, with a sacrifice fly to center field, his third RBI of the game.

In the 5^th, Stetson starter, Jake Hitchcock, was rocked for the 3^rd straight inning. Quinnipiac tacked on two more runs in the frame due to John Delaney’s RBI double and an RBI groundout from Ryan Rizzo. The Bobcats however still trailed 6-3.

Phenomenal pitching from both Paul Gibson and Jake Hitchcock kept the score 6-3 until the top of the 8^th inning when the Bobcats were on the prowl for more.

The comeback kids from Quinnipiac battled back and tied the game against a barrage of Stetson relievers.

Jake Hitchcock started the 8^th and pitched to two batters. Relievers David Burns, Nick Pugliese, and Ian Thompson followed as the Hatters tried to stop the bleeding.

Quinnipiac sent eight batters to the plate in the 8^th inning and it all started with three consecutive hits.  

John Delaney lead off the rally with a double down the left field line. Ryan Rizzo followed that with an RBI single scoring John Delaney and chasing Jake Hitchcock from the game.

Reliever David Burns entered and allowed a Tim Binkoski single to right field. That was it for Burns as he was pulled for the 3^rd pitcher of the inning, Nick Pugliese.

Pugliese then retired both Ryan Gress and Wilson Matos for the first two outs of the inning. With runners on first and third, Pete Kummerfeldt reached on Josh Clendenin’s catcher interference to load up the bases.

Jeff Mainetti ripped the game-tying single through the left side driving the Bobcats dugout crazy. The Bobcats tied the game as Tim Binkoski and Ryan Rizzo came around to score.

Ian Thompson then entered the game as the 4^th reliever of the inning for Stetson. Jeff Carino then pinch-hit for Quinnipiac and grounded out to 1^st unassisted to end the inning.

With the score tied at six, Coach Gooley stuck with Paul Gibson on the mound to enter the eighth inning. Between the 4^th and the 7^th innings, Gibson retired twelve of fourteen batters. He struggled before that allowing six runs on eleven hits and two walks.

Gibson started the eighth inning allowing two hits. Josh Clendenin hit a single, and then Kevin Johnson dropped down a bunt to 3^rd base. John Delaney fielded the ball but threw it into right field. Ryan Rizzo’s relay home beat Clendenin and  put him in a pickle.

However, Clendenin was awarded home as catcher Jeff Carino was cited for obstruction. Stetson took the 7-6 lead as Clendenin scored and Johnson moved over to 3^rd, on the bunt, and two errors.

Chris Gloor then entered the game and surrendered an RBI double to Shane Jordan, putting the Hatters up 8-6. Stetson University would add one more run in the frame with Justin Bass’ third hit and fifth RBI of the game.

Heading into the 9^th inning, the Bobcats trailed 9-6, and needed one more comeback. Quinnipiac could only tally one run and lost to Stetson 9-7.

The Bobcats committed four errors in the game, two in the bottom of the eighth, that proved costly. Quinnipiac has now allowed eleven runs in five games as the Bobcats drop to 2-3 on the season.

Stetson University improves to 14-6 on the season with the win, and the two teams will play tonight in the 2^nd game of this 2-game series. The contest will began at 7 PM once again at Melching Field in DeLand, Florida.

Eight run 8th propels Quinnipiac to victory

By: Michael Radomski
WQAQ Quinnipiac Baseball Beat Writer 

TAMPA (Fla.)- The Bobcats needed an eight run eighth inning to come back and defeat Michigan State 12-9.Quinnipiac lost to Michigan State in the season opener 8-5, but rallied from a 7-0 deficit to win this matchup yesterday afternoon.

Eric Weber started for Quinnipiac and struggled through a shaky first inning. Michigan State’s leadoff hitter Dennis Jones was hit by the 1^st pitch of the game, a sign of wild things to come. Jones then stole second base and advanced to third as the throw got away from Wilson Matos. MSU rallied for the early 2-0 lead with RBI singles from Steve Gerstenberger and Evan Friedland.

Quinnipiac failed to score in their first two innings, while Michigan State seized the opportunity and added another run to the lead.  

Up 3-0, entering the fourth, the Spartans added another three runs. In an inning that saw two wild pitches, two walks, and one hit by pitch, Michigan chased Eric Weber from the mound.

Weber pitched four innings allowing six runs, on seven hits, and three walks. Freshman Todd DeFrancesco entered in the 5^th inning, trailing 6-0.

 

DeFrancesco retired the first two hitters, and then allowed a walk and a single. With runners on first and second with two outs, Brandon Doherty’s RBI single increased the lead the Spartan lead to 7-0.

 

The Bobcats however would not go quietly. The team rallied from a 3-0 deficit the day earlier verse Harvard, only to lose 4-3 in extra innings.

 

Quinnipiac would start the comeback in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs, Tim Binkoski singled home Brian Monack and Ryan Gress followed with a two-run double of his very own. Quinnipiac cut the lead to 4, hoping DeFrancesco could hold it.

The Connecticut native did just that, holding the Spartans scoreless in the top of the sixth. The Bobcats took advantage of this, adding another run in the bottom half.

Both teams went scoreless in the 7^th, as Michigan State took a 7-4 lead into the eighth.Michigan State would add another run on a Steve Gerstenberger RBI double.In the bottom half of the eight, the Bobcats leapt on the scene, devouring the Spartans pitching. The eight run eighth inning started with an error, and a hit by pitch. Michigan State then pulled Adam Slusher in favor of Chris Cullen.

Cullen then walked Jeff Mainetti to load the bases with no body out. Coach Gooley then decided to use pinch hitter Jeff Carino for Michael Marmo.

 

Carino proved Coach Gooley right with a two run double bringing the Bobcats within two. Brian Monack then struck out, and Jeff Delaney followed with an RBI double shrinking the lead to one.  

The Bobcats now trailed 8-7 with the tying run 90 feet away. Trying to keep the lead, Michigan State made a pitching change. The Spartans brought in reliever Nolan Moody for Chris Cullen.

Ryan Rizzo greeted Moody with a two run double to give Quinnipiac the unbelievable comeback and the lead, but the Bobcats weren’t done yet. Nolan Moody loaded up the bases once again with two walks, one intentional, for Pete Kummerfeldt.

 

Earlier in the game, Pete hit his first home run of the season driving the Bobcats within three runs, 7-4. This time around, the sophomore from New Jersey laced a bases clearing double to right center field giving the Bobcats a 12-8 lead.

 

Quinnipiac then handed the ball over to Joe Cesarini to shut the door closed in the ninth. Cesarini walked the first hitter, and Tony Clausen followed it up with an RBI double.

 

With the score 12-9, the freshman stepped up to finish this one. Cesarini then retired the Spartans 1-2-3 to wrap up the Bobcats second win of the season.

With the 12-9 win, the Bobcats improve to 2-2 on the season, and will start a 2-game series with Stetson tonight at 7. Michigan State drops to 5-6 with the loss.

GAME NOTE: Following the phenomenal week from 1B/DH Pete Kummerfeldt, the sophomore from New Jersey was named the NEC Player of the Week. Kummerfeldt hit .438 with 1 HR and 6 RBIs in the first four games for Quinnipiac. He played a pivotal role throughout the week including a game-tying RBI against Harvard in the 9^th, sending the game to extra innings. Kummerfeldt’s 2-for-3, home run, 4 RBI performance aided QU’s win vs Michigan State. The home run kept the comeback moving, and the bases clearing double in the 8^th gave Quinnipiac enough insurance runs for the victory.

Teams, Experiences, Thrill in the Playoffs

 Teams, Experiences, Thrill in the Playoffs

by Jeremy Schilling

March 9, 2007

            SOMEWHERE ON AN UNDISCLOSED TRAIN FROM CT TO NY — How apropos it is that in its first months of inception, the TD Banknorth Sports Center (TDBNSC) would be host to THREE teams making runs into their respective playoffs. Unfortunately women’s basketball ended their run early, but men’s basketball and hockey thrilled the crowd with their performances.

            Men’s basketball enjoyed a playoff run that began with a NEC Quarterfinal matchup at the TD Banknorth Sports Center on a Thursday night. Unfortunately, I don’t think many students realized that, as only about 25-30 showed up. Why, with a sparkling new arena, do practically 0 students show up to a game is beyond me. In contrast, many members of the public were there to enjoy a game where we were up big, only to blow a double-digit lead, and only to have Van Crafton score 12 points in 2:37 to lead us to a thrilling 78-77 victory over Farleigh Dickinson. They would lose three days later in the semifinals at Sacred Heart, but the positive thoughts of that night will surely live with Crafton for a long time.

            The next night Men’s hockey began its ECAC playoff run wit a best of 3 series versus Union College. The antithesis of Thursday night occurred, with 4 whole sections devoted to students filled to the gills, but some public sections were fairly empty!!! Folks, you have a hockey team that was ranked for 14 straight weeks, and don’t come out to their PLAYOFF series??  The student section, however, was rocking. From the first goal (arguably out biggest goal of the season, energizing a crowd that had somewhat lost faith after a subpar couple of months), to the last, it was a rocking TDBNSC. And a 3-1 victory to win Game 1 left the crowd with a good feeling.

            The next night, Saturday night, might forever be known as the night that hockey and popcorn met. I have no idea who, but someone started the idea of handing out big bags – no, not just cups, I mean big bags – and quickly every goal, hit, and save not only became important for the team and its faithful fans, but an opportunity for QU students to start throwing popcorn all over the place. And once again the public failed to show up in droves to witness this insane event!! As for the game, Union got the early goal, but the Bobcats battled back, eventually sending the game into overtime with a score of 4-4.

            College hockey overtime is a full 20 minutes, which meant there was a regular 15 minute intermission preceding it. And that’s when it hit me that Steve Colvin, Director of Promotions for QU Athletics, ran out of stuff to do and free things to give out. No more Crust Pizza giveaways, no more Zamboni contests, and no more dance contests that lead to videos of your wonderful writer here ending up on YouTube.  So the 15 minutes was spent with music, alternating between the Pep Band and the soundtrack of the PA guys. So that was the first thing that was different as we went into overtime. As I attempted to take in the atmosphere, however, I noticed something very disturbing: empty seats. I was so caught up in the game (as I normally am), that when we were leading 4-2 with 5 minutes left, I failed to notice that a lot of students had left. Since this arena opened 3 months ago, the mere thought of shuttle buses forces cringing in students’ heads. The shuttles’ reliability has been spotty, even though they have improved of late. So apparently, with that thought in mind many students left with 5 minutes to go, assuming a win. But folks, in sports, NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING!  Subsequently, I guess, the thought of a 20 minute overtime made more STUDENTS want to leave. So as Union and Quinnipiac returned to the ice, with Union’s season on the line, only half the students were still there! But this time the public got something right: practically none of them had left! And early on, Union took an interference penalty that led to a Reid Cashman pass to Jamie Bates for a goal and VICTORY. Ecstasy.. And popcorn, and a whole lot of it. Yes, the students that had picked up the free popcorn with the original intent of taking it back to their rooms to eat, suddenly hurled it into the air in a united exercise of happiness upon seeing Jamie Bates take us to The Promised Land of the ECAC Quarterfinals. OK, I’ll admit, that wasn’t my thought at the time, but in their slightly intoxicated states, it may well have been the thought of my fellow students.

            As I left TDBNSC’s hockey side, knowing there would be no chance of another Bobcat home game this academic year, I listened to the strains of “Sweet Caroline.” But at that moment I felt like the chorus should be part “Sweet Jamie Bates,” and the other part dedicated to the inventor of popcorn.

            And as I am sitting here, 6 days later, writing this on my train ride back home for Spring Break, I am thinking about how this same Quinnipiac Bobcat hockey team has made its way to Cornell to begin the conference tournament quarterfinal series tonight. That euphoric image of the popcorn going up into the air after the overtime win seems like it happened just moments ago. And win or lose this weekend, that image will stay with me for a very, very long time.  

Missed opportunities, costly error doom Bobcats

By: Michael Radomski
WQAQ Quinnipiac Baseball Beat Writer 

CLEARWATER Fla. - The Quinnipiac baseball team lost to the Harvard Crimson 4-3 in extra innings yesterday afternoon.

 

Harvard starting pitcher, Shawn Haviland, struggled early on giving Quinnipiac ample opportunities to score.

 

In the top of the first, Haviland walked the bases loaded. Unfortunately for the Bobcats, Haviland then retired Randy Gress and Wilson Matos on strikes and popped up Peter Kummerfeldt to end the inning.

 

Joe Duffy started for the Bobcats and pitched a scoreless first. However, the New York native struggled in the 2^nd allowing 3 runs on 4 hits as Harvard took the lead.

 

Once again, the Bobcats trailed but fought their way back into the contest. Quinnipiac and Ryan Rizzo took advantage of Shawn Haviland’s wild pitching of six walks and two hits over 3 2/3. Rizzo drove home freshman Brian Monack on a two out single to close the gap to two.

 

Then, the Bobcats pitching kept Quinnipiac in the game. Tyler Brett took over for Duffy in the sixth inning and shut down the Crimson. The CT native kept Harvard off the board as long as he could pitching 4 1/3 innings only allowing one run.

 

Quinnipiac would catch up with a Wilson Matos sac fly in the 7^th to pull the Bobcats within one. In the 9^th, the Bobcats rallied against Crimson closer Dan Zailskas. Matos led off with a single, followed by an RBI double from Pete Kummerfeldt, who advanced to 3^rd on a throwing error.

 

QU tied the game on that double, and were in position to take the lead, but once again, the Crimson pitching staff came up clutch. With the potential game winning run on 3^rd, the Bobcats went down 1-2-3, ending the inning, and missing an opportunity to take the lead.

 

In the bottom half of the 9^th, Harvard went scoreless and the two teams were off to extra innings. In the top half of the tenth, John Delaney lead off with a single. Quinnipiac once again had the potential game winning run on base, but Ryan Rizzo grounded into a double play. The Bobcats would go down without scoring.

 

In the Harvard half of the 10^th, Matt Rogers reached first on an error by catcher Michael Marmo. Rogers then stole second and following a walk, came home on Tom Stack-Babich’s game-winning single. Harvard wins 4-3 in 10 innings.

The win marks Harvard’s first win in their first game of the season as Quinnipiac now falls to 1-2. The Bobcats will play Michigan State for the second time of the season, this afternoon.  

We’re Going to Albany!!

We’re Going to Albany!!
by Seth Rothman
March 10, 2007

ITHACA, New York – The Quinnipiac Bobcats are going to the ECACHL Final Four after beating Cornell 3-2 on Saturday to sweep their best of three series at hostile Lynah Rink.

Ben Nelson scored the game winning goal with 4:21 left in the third period, nearing the end of a 5 minute major penalty against Cornell’s Raymond Sawada for boarding Bobcats defenseman Sami Liimatanen. After starting the weekend by going 0-12 on the man advantage, the Bobcats finally put home a power play goal, and it turned out to be the game winner. It was also Nelson’s 50th collegiate goal.

The win also gives Quinnipiac another 20-win season. It is their 8th 20 win season in the last 9 years.

The Bobcats advance to the ECACHL Final Four at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y. The Bobcats will play top-ranked St. Lawrence in the first game of Friday’s session at 4:30.

Stay tuned to the WQAQ Sports Blog for extensive coverage of the Bobcats ride to Albany.