Several lengthy unbeaten streaks for ECAC Hockey teams came to an end over the weekend.
Yale owned a six-game unbeaten streak entering play on Friday, but looked flat in a 2-1 loss to Union. However, the Bulldogs rebounded on Saturday, beating a Rensselaer team that entered the night with six-game unbeaten streak, one that was extended Friday after the Engineers rallied from a 3-0 deficit at Brown.
And finally, Dartmouth saw its five-game winning streak come to a halt Friday, as Quinnipiac scored six third-period goals in a wild 7-5 Bobcats win. More on that below.
Quinnipiac stages wild comeback against Dartmouth
It was a quite a night in Hanover Friday, as Quinnipiac erased deficits of 4-1 and 5-2 against a Big Green team that had allowed eight goals during its five-game winning streak. Dartmouth hadn’t been called for penalty all game, but the Big Green were whistled for two infractions in the final period that resulted in a pair of Quinnipiac power-play goals.
Sam Anas scored twice in a span of just over four minutes to tie it, while Bo Pieper’s second goal of the season put the Bobcats ahead for good at 15:16. Harvard’s Jimmy Vesey is considered a favorite for the Hobey Baker award, but Anas’ 17 goals and 32 points in 26 games should put him in the conversation as well.
The win pushed Quinnipiac’s league record to 11-0-3;. The Bobcats have a six-point lead over second-place Harvard and have only lost one game all year; a 4-1 setback to non-conference opponent Boston University on Dec. 12. It wasn’t all bad for the Big Green, as Dartmouth rebounded with a 2-0 win over Princeton Saturday and only sit a point behind fourth-place Cornell.
Brown’s Lappin hit 100 career points
Stuck in a five-game losing streak, Bears head coach Brendan Whittet broke up the trio of Tommy Marchin, Nick Lappin, and Mark Naclerio for Saturday’s game with Union. Sophomore Charlie Corcoran centered Marchin and Lappin, while Naclerio slid on a to a line with Davey Middleton and Alex Brink.
It worked somewhat, as Brown and Union played to a 2-2 tie, with Lappin posting his 100th career point on first-period goal. Regardless of what line he skates on, Naclerio should join Lappin in the 100-point club soon; the senior currently has 97.
