The #8 Quinnipiac Bobcats scored three goals in a span of 3:02 to chase freshman goalie Matthew Thiessen out of the net in the first period Saturday night, and then got a game winner from Wyatt Bongiovanni in the third period to defeat the Maine Black Bears 4-3 in non-conference men’s hockey action in Hamden, Connecticut.
Maine (3-2) struck first when Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup scored his first of the year with a quick snapshot from just inside the left faceoff circle at 3:22 of the first. Quinnipiac came right back though just 38 seconds later when a hard slapper from the right wing boards by Michael Lombardi eluded Thiessen who was making his first career start to tie it at 1-1. Ethan Leyh gave the hosts a lead they wouldn’t relinquish when Maine turned the puck over in front of their own net and Leyh pounced on it and slammed into the back of the net at 6:17 for a 2-1 lead. Ethan de Jong continued the onslaught as he walked out of the left corner right to the net and beat Thiessen at 7:02 to end the night for the freshman netminder. Jeremy Swayman would come on in relief.
The Black Bears got within a goal when Schmidt-Svejstrup scored just 17 seconds into a 5 on 3 powerplay his second of the game at 8:26 of the second period. Bongiovanni scored what turned out to be the game winner at 3:20 of the third period to make it 4-2, before Eduards Tralmaks continued his early season goal scoring at 11:59. Maine pulled Swayman late for the extra man but couldn’t find the equalizer as the teams settle for the weekend split.
Thiessen allowed three goals on six shots in his 7:02 of action in his debut. Swayman stopped 31 of 32 shots. Schmidt-Svestrup had two goals, Tralmaks had a goal and an assist, and Tim Doherty had two assists for the Black Bears in the loss. Bongiovanni had a goal and an assist and Odeen Tufto had two assists for the 3-1 Bobcats. Keith Petruzzelli had 22 saves in net. Maine was 1-4 on the powerplay, while QU was 0-4.
Maine returns to action with a single game next Friday in Hockey East when they travel to Vermont for a 7 p.m. contest.
