The Quinnipiac Bobcats came into the 2022 Connecticut Ice tournament as the favorites, and rightfully so, entering play as the No. 2 team in the nation with hopes of winning a National Championship.
They were tested by both Sacred Heart on Saturday and UConn on Sunday, but ultimately the Bobcats were able to prevail thanks to some timely goals and some fantastic play between the pipes.
After surviving the Pioneers on Saturday with a 3-2 overtime win, the Bobcats scored twice in the third period on Sunday to defeat UConn and capture the championship trophy.
“Just proud of the guys. We battled hard both nights,” Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold said afterwards. “I thought Sacred Heart was really good last night, UConn was good, I give them a lot of credit. We appreciate SNY for sponsoring it, and our culture came through tonight.
“Just their commitment, the commit to playing the way we want to play. They’re great kids, high character. We’re just having a good year, and keep it rolling.”
Sunday’s star was goalie Yaniv Perets, who set a school record with his ninth shutout of the season, as the Bobcats tied an NCAA single-season record with their 12th team shutout. Perets stopped all 29 shots that came his way, and he was rewarded with the 2022 Gordie Howe MVP Trophy afterwards as the tournament’s most valuable player.
“It’s awesome. The guys played great,” Perets said. “We were working hard all year for this, so it’s great to see it pay off here.
“I think it’s just our buy-in, guys showing up every single day and being consistent every single day. It translates on the ice too.”
Quinnipiac, UConn, Sacred Heart, and Yale provided an outstanding two-day tournament, with Sacred Heart winning the consolation game earlier on Sunday afternoon. Ultimately, though, it was the Bobcats who were able to come away as tournament champs as they continue their pursuit of a national title.
“It’s a high-character group, our culture is outstanding , it’s fun coming to the rink every day – just a joy for me to coach these guys,” said Pecknold. “They come through, they want to win, they’re selfless, willing to make sacrifices, and we saw that this weekend.
“You’ve got four high-end programs in the state. Everything kind of fluctuates from year to year, but it was a great tournament.”