January 7, 2010

No. 12/11 Quinnipiac University Bobcats (13-5-1, 7-4-0 ECAC Hockey) vs.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers (10-10-1, 3-4-0 ECAC Hockey)
Friday, Jan. 8, 2010 - 7 p.m.
No. 17 Union College Dutchmen (10-4-5, 4-03 ECAC Hockey)
Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010 - 7 p.m.
TD Bank Sports Center, Hamden, Conn.

Back To The Bank
The No. 12/11 Quinnipiac University men's ice hockey team returns to the TD Bank Sports Center for its first game on its home ice since Dec. 12 when the Bobcats host Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (10-10-1, 3-4-0 ECAC Hockey) on Friday, Jan. 8 and No. 17 Union (10-4-5, 4-0-3) on Saturday, Jan. 9. The games are the first two of a six-game homestand for the Bobcats who enter the weekend at 13-5-1 overall and 7-4-0 in ECAC Hockey for first place in the league standings.

Broadcast News
Bill Schweizer will have the play-by-play for the Bobcats' weekend series against RPI and Union. Analyst Chris Kotsopoulos will handle the color commentary duties for the two-game ECAC Hockey set.

All-Time Against Rensselaer
Quinnipiac and RPI have met 13 times in their history, dating back to their first contest on Oct. 16, 1999. RPI won that game, 6-4 in Troy, N.Y., as the first of four straight wins for the Engineers on their home ice to begin the all-time series. Following the fourth win to open the series, Quinnipiac has not lost to Rensselaer, posting a 5-0-4 mark in its last nine meetings with RPI. The Bobcats are 1-0-3 all-time on their home-ice, including a 1-0-2 mark at the TD Bank Sports Center.

Scouting Rensselaer
The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers are currently 10-10-1 overall and 3-4-0 in ECAC Hockey, good for 9th out of 12 in the league standings. The Engineers have won just twice in their last seven games, with the two wins coming against Boston University, 5-3 on Dec. 11, and Michigan, 4-3 on Dec. 29, at the Great Lakes Tournament in Detroit, Mich. The Engineers lost in the Championship Game of that tournament, 6-1, to nationally ranked Michigan State. RPI is led by ECAC Hockey's leading scorer, Chase Polacek, who has totaled a league-best 14 goals to go along with 14 assists for 28 points. Freshman Brandon Pirri leads RPI with 15 assists, while also scoring seven goals, for 22 points. Freshman Jerry D'Amigo recently helped the U.S. National Junior Team to the Gold Medal with a goal and an assist in Team USA's 6-5 overtime win against Canada. D'Amigo was second in the World Junior Tournament with 12 points on six goals and six assists. In goal, Allen York has been between the pipes for RPI for over 1,000 minutes in 17 games played. York has posted a 7-8-1 record with a 3.04 goals-against average and a .895 save percentage.

All-Time Against Union
Quinnipiac and Union have met 13 times, with the Bobcats holding an 8-4-1 record in teh all-time series. Quinnipiac won seven of the first eight games between the two teams between 2000 and 2007, while Union has posted a 3-1-1 record in the last five meetings. Quinnipiac is 4-2-0 all-time on its home ice against Union, including a 2-2-0 mark against the Dutchmen at the TD Bank Sports Center.

Scouting Union
The Union College Dutchmen currently stand at 10-4-5 overall and 4-0-3 in ECAC Hockey play. The Dutchmen are currently the only undefeated team in ECAC Hockey while ranking 17th nationally in the USCHO.com Division I Poll. Union has been dealt one loss, 4-3 to Massachusetts in the first game of the UConn Toyota Hockey Classic on Dec. 29, in its last 13 games, posting a 8-1-5 record over that span. Of Union's 19 games to date, nine have gone to overtime with Dutchmen posting a 2-2-5 mark in extended play. Mario Valery-Trabucco leads Union with 23 points on 10 goals and a team-high 13 assists. Jason Walters follows with 22 points (11-11), while Adam Presizniuk checks in with six goals and 12 assists for 18 points. In goal, incumbent Corey Milan and freshman Keith Kinkaid have practically split the time, both appearing in ten games apiece. Milan is 5-2-3 with a .912 save percentage and a 2.19 goals-against average. Kinkaid is 5-2-2 with a .900 save percentage and a 2.74 GAA. Milan has started three of Union's last four games.

Multiple Points
Against Princeton, freshman wing D'Arcy Oakes scored twice in the Bobcats 4-3 overtime loss. Oakes became the sixth Bobcat to score twice in a game this season, joining Brandon Wong, Eric Lampe, Jeremy Langlois, Mike Atkinson and Scott Zurevinski.

Nine
A Quinnipiac player has scored two goals in nine of its 19 games this season. Three of the six players (see above) to score twice in a game (Wong, Lampe and Langlois) have done it twice.

Your A GoodMan, Russ
Russell Goodman made his collegiate debut against Princeton on Monday, Jan. 4. Goodman tallied his first career point with an assist on the Bobcats' first goal of the game.

It Was More Of A Lull Than A Slump Really
Sophomore Scott Zurevinski scored eight goals over his first 11 games played this season and had gone five games without a goal before the equalizer in the third period of Monday's overtime loss to Princeton.

Spreading The Wealth
Quinnipiac has had 16 different players score a goal through the Bobcats' first 19 games this season. The Bobcats had 18 players score through 39 games last season.

Youth Movement
Last season, through 39 games, Quinnipiac freshmen accounted for 18 of Quinnipiac's 124 goals (14.5%). This season, through the team's first 19 games, Quinnipiac freshmen have 17 of the Bobcats 71 goals for 23.9%.

Closing The Door
Last season, Quinnipiac was 16-0-0 in games in which it led after the second period. In their last 43 games in that scenario, dating back three seasons, Quinnipiac is undefeated at 40-0-3 when playing with a lead heading into the final frame. The Bobcats last loss,when leading after the second period, came in the 2006-07 ECAC Hockey Championship Game when Clarkson scored four third period goals to come-from-behind and take the league crown.

TD Bank Sports Center History
Since the door's opened on Quinnipiac University's state-of-the-art arena on Jan. 27, 2007, the Bobcats have played 54 games on their home ice, posting a 32-16-5 record.

Same Ole Wong
Brandon Wong (Victoria, B.C.) ranks 21st in the nation in points per game with 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points at a 1.26 per game clip. His 0.63 goals per game also rank 21st nationally.

Milestone Marker
Brandon Wong became the 11th player in Quinnipiac history, as well as the sixth at the Division I level, to reach the 60-goal mark with a marker against Brown on Saturday, Dec. 5.

Impressive Information
Wong is one of two active players in NCAA Division I hockey, to score 60 goals and assist on 60 more for his career. St. Cloud State's Ryan Lasch has totaled 69 goals and 83 assists for his career. Wong is also third among active career scoring leaders with 126 (61-65) points, trailing Lasch (69-83-152) and Rhett Rakhshani (54-74-128).