Quinnipiac, coming off a tough western trip at North Dakota, got back on the winning track with a 3-1 win over the Robert Morris Colonials at the Northford Ice Pavilion Friday night.
The teams played a high tempo game with action at both sides throughout the game, but Quinnipiac controlled the game early recording the first five shots on goal.
The Bobcats capitalized on that advantage when David Marshall scored a power play goal. Dan Travis gave a one timer shot to Marshall on the back door and fired the puck home past Robert Morris goalie Christian Boucher. Dan Henningson also assisted on the goal.
“First game at home and it was fun,” said Travis, a transfer from the University of New Hampshire. “I sat in the stands last year and had to watch, and I wish I played in front of these good fans. I finally got my chance to and it paid off.”
The Colonials appeared to have tied the game at one, 7:12 into the second, but disallowed. The puck appeared to have snuck inside the left post under Bud Fisher’s pad on Tom Biondich’s shot, but the goal light never flashed and Fisher appeared to have reacted as if it went in. With a review with the officials and the goal judge, it was deemed no goal.
“You have to give a lot of credit to Robert Morris,” said Quinnipiac Head Coach Rand Pecknold. They came in on the road and played well.”
The Bobcats took at two goal lead at 1:14 left in the second, when Dan Travis recorded his first goal as a Bobcat. Marshall was in the corner and fed Cashman at the top of the left circle, who blasted a shot. Travis stuck his stick up in front of Boucher and deflected it home on the power play.
Except for the goal, the Colonials controlled the play in the second period. They had three two-on-one man advantages and out shot the Bobcats 14-8.
Robert Morris again appeared to cut the lead in half at the 16:12 mark of the third, but again, the goal was a no goal. The puck was loose in the crease, covered up by Fisher, where the whistle blew and trickled over the goal line.
“They have a real aggressive style and throw the puck at the net,” said Pecknold. Sometimes they get bounces and sometimes they don’t.”
Again, after the misfortune for the Colonials, Quinnipiac took a three goal lead. This time is was Andrew Meyer. Marshall with his second assist on the night fed the puck from behind the net to Meyer, who blasted the puck through a screen. It was Meyer’s first goal in his two year career as a Bobcat.
The Colonials had a big opportunity to cut the deficit with a five minute major and a two minute minor and capitalized on the chance. Chris Margott banged home a loose puck in the crease for the goal to make it 3-1
Robert Morris out shot the Bobcats 44-27 on the night and had nine power play opportunities. Fisher made 43 saves in the win, while Boucher made 24 in the loss.
The Bobcats and Colonials return to action tomorrow night for the second game of the weekend series at the Northford Ice Pavilion.
