The Quinnipiac University Bobcats took a 5-4 decision in a non-conference match-up with the Robert Morris University Colonials Friday night at the TD Banknorth Sports Center.
The Bobcats have now won seven straight against the Colonials and are 7-1-1 all-time.
Robert Morris (4-12-4) opened up the scoring with a goal by Nathan Longpre at the 16:59 mark of the first period. Trevor Lewis dumped the puck into the Quinnipiac zone and Chris Margott gained control of the puck behind the net. Margott sent a quick backhand pass to Longpre at the doorstep of the crease, where he jabbed the puck through the five-hole of Quinnipiac’s Dan Clarke.
“We were lacking energy in the first,” said Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold. “We’re trying to play better at home. Some of our guys aren’t responding. We had a great second period. We were able to play it out for a win.”
The Bobcats (13-8-2) did respond after the first intermission, scoring four goals in the second period.
The Bobcats tied it up two minutes into the period with Yuri Bouharevich’s second goal of the season. Brandon Wong sprung Bouharevich with a pass at the left circle. He came across the slot and fired the puck the puck past the stick side of Colonials’ goalie Brooks Ostergard. Jean-Marc Beaudoin also was credited with an assist.
Quinnipiac took control of the lead when Eric Lampe scored his first goal of the night. Behind the goal line, Bryan Leitch fed Lampe for a one-timer goal through the five-hole of Ostergard at 3:42 of the second.
Lampe added his second of the night, this time on the power play. On the faceoff to the right of Ostergard, David Marshall won the puck back to Leitch who fired the puck on net. Ostergard was unable to control the shot as it bounced off his chest and Lampe picked up the loose puck and into the net.
Lampe had a chance for a hat trick when he was awarded a penalty shot midway through the second, but was denied by Ostergard on a pad save.
Following the attempt, the teams traded goals in the following minute.
Jake Obermeyer tied the game when he blasted a shot from the top of the right circle that beat Clarke through the five-hole for his first goal of the season.
just 15 seconds later, Greg Holt put the Bobcats back on top when the Colonials failed to clear the puck from their zone. Marshall picked off a pass and fed the puck to Holt, who put it under the bar to make it 4-3. It was Holt’s first goal of the season.
Marshall added a five-on-three power-play goal with eight minutes remaining in the contest. Leitch passed to Dan Henningson, who controlled the puck and moved across the blue line to open up Marshall for a pass. As the defenders shifted, Henningson found Marshall for the one-timer shot that found its way under the bar for the two goal lead. It was Leitch’s third assist of the game and 31st of the season.
Robert Morris cut the deficit back to one when Denny Urban ripped a puck past Clarke. Longpre and Margott controlled the puck and found Urban open for the goal.
Clarke made 22 saves in the winning effort, while Ostergard made 34 in the loss. Quinnipiac finished two-for-four on the power play while the Colonials went one-for-six.
Both teams square off in the second game of the two game series tomorrow night.
