Bobcats Trimmed by No. 7 Princeton

Boxscore

PRINCETON, N.J. - The Quinnipiac University men's ice hockey team lost to #7 Princeton University, 2-1, in an ECAC Hockey league game played at Hobey Baker Rink in Princeton, N.J. The Bobcats fall to 6-5-1 overall and 4-3-1 in ECAC Hockey play while Princeton improves to 8-1-0 overall and 7-1-0 in ECAC Hockey play.

Brandon Wong (Victoria, B.C.) scored Quinnipiac's only goal while Bud Fisher (Peterborough, Ont.) record a season-high 39 saves.

Just seconds after the Bobcats were whistled for a penalty in the first period, Princeton used the man-advantage to net a power play goal at the 16:04 mark. Brad Schroeder passed from behind the goal line to the left face-off circle where Dan Bartlett unleashed a one-timer that was rejected by Fisher. Sam Sabky collected the deflected shot out in front of the net and slipped a wrist shot past Fisher to give Princeton the early 1-0 lead.

Despite the lone goal allowed by Fisher, the senior goalie turned away 21 shots in the first frame. Overall, Princeton outshot Quinnipiac 22-7 in the first period while also killing both of their penalties.

"The first period was bad," head coach Rand Pecknold said. "We weren't ready to play. I thought we battled back from a sluggish start. We gave up a backdoor goal, which we preach to our players not to do, and that didn't help us. [Bud] Fisher was outstanding. Princeton was a better team tonight."

Princeton took a 2-0 lead with just 39 seconds remaining in the second period. Kevin Lohry handled the puck behind the right face-off circle, passing to Matt Godlewski behind the Quinnipiac net. Godlewski found Kevin Kaiser cutting to the net for his first goal of the season. The Bobcats dialed back the shot differential in the second period as Princeton once again outshot Quinnipiac, 12-9, in the second period. Fisher had 32 saves heading into the final period of play.

Just over three minutes into the third period, Quinnipiac scored their 13^th power play goal of the season to cut the Princeton lead to 2-1. David Marshall (Buffalo, Minn.) won a face-off inside the Tigers' zone, sending it to Bryan Leitch (Coquitlam, B.C.). Leitch's backhand pass to set-up Wong (Victoria, B.C.) for a one-timer and the junior forward's fifth goal of the season, as well as the 45^th of his career. The assists were Marshall's fifth and Leitch's ECAC Hockey-leading 15^th.

Quinnipiac returns Hobey Baker Rink on Wednesday, Dec. 3 for their final meeting with the Tigers of the 2008-09 regular season. The non-conference match-up is set for an opening face-off at 7 p.m. in Princeton, N.J.