The St. Lawrence University men’s hockey team came back from an early 2-0 hole on Saturday, but No. 11/12 Quinnipiac scored a power play goal with the Saints serving a five-minute major to hand St. Lawrence a 3-2 defeat on Saturday afternoon at Appleton Arena.
Ethan de Jong and Odeen Tufto scored goals in the first 3:22 of the first period to give the Bobcats the early lead, but Kaden Pickering and Cameron Buhl both scored unassisted goals in the second period to tie the game, 2-2, heading to the third period.
Jacob Nielsen was given a five-minute major and a game disqualification for kneeing at the 7:45 mark of the third period, and Peter DiLiberatore scored the game-winning goal on a wrist shot from the top of the right circle 37 seconds into the power play.
“We did a good job battling back after the two quick goals against,” said Charles W. Appleton II Head Men’s Hockey Coach Brent Brekke. “It was a much better performance than last night. If we play that way most nights, we will come out on top with a win. I felt our guys deserved to win that game tonight.”
The Saints, now 4-8-3 overall and 4-8-2 in ECAC Hockey play, outshot Quinnipiac 31-21, including a 15-3 edge in the second period.
After the first intermission, Pickering set the tone for the second period early, scoring his second shorthanded goal of the season at the 33-second mark. He blocked a shot inside the Saints defensive zone then broke out through the neutral zone and beat Quinnipiac goaltender Keith Petruzzelli going forehand-backhand for his sixth goal of the season.
Buhl tied the game eight minutes later, picking a waist-high cross-ice clear from a Quinnipiac defender out of the air right in front of the Bobcat net and spinning around to beat Petruzzelli to the left side of the net for his third goal of the year.
de Jong opened the scoring just 21 seconds into the game for Quinnipiac, one-timing a pass from Michael Lombardi from behind the net past St. Lawrence goaltender Emil Zetterquist.
Tufto increased the lead to two goals 2:01 later off a feed from Lombardi right in front of the net. de Jong also assisted on the play.
Petruzzelli made 29 saves in the win for Quinnipiac (16-5-4, 9-3-4), while Zetterquist stopped 18 shots for the Saints.
St. Lawrence will play a home-and-home series with Clarkson on Friday and Saturday next week. The order of the venues will be announced after the seedings for the women’s ECAC Hockey tournament have been determined.
(St. Lawrence men’s hockey photo)
