Northeastern Defeated By Quinnipiac, 5-2

Sophomore forward Adam Gaudette scored a goal for the Huskies
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 7:37  QUI1-0 EV Landon Smith (1)Kevin McKernan/1
1st 9:55  QUI2-0 EV Kārlis Čukste (1)Bo Pieper/1
2nd 13:03  QUI3-0 PP GW Tim Clifton (1)K.J. Tiefenwerth/2, Landon Smith/1
2nd 16:07  NOE1-3 EV Adam Gaudette (1)Ryan Shea/1, Dylan Sikura/3
3rd 4:49  QUI4-1 PP Chase Priskie (1) -
3rd 8:34  NOE2-4 PP Zach Aston-Reese (1)Eric Williams/1, Nolan Stevens/1
3rd 18:43  QUI5-2 EV EN Tim Clifton (2)Scott Davidson/1
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Northeastern  0112
Quinnipiac  2125
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Northeastern  11111234
Quinnipiac  715628
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Northeastern (0-1-1)  1/12 11/22 0
Quinnipiac (1-0-1)  2/10 13/26 0
Northeastern Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Ryan Ruck (L, 0-1-1)58:344 514423
Empty Net1:261     
Quinnipiac Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Chris Truehl (W, 1-0-1)60:002 11101132

SHELTON, Conn. - A pair of goals from Tim Clifton and 32 stops from Chris Truehl proved to be the difference as No. 2/2 Quinnipiac (1-0-1) skated to a 5-2 victory against the No. 15/14 Northeastern men's ice hockey team (0-1-1) on Saturday night at the TD Bank Sports Center.

The Bobcats netted the game's first three goals through the first 30 minutes of play before Adam Gaudette cut the deficit to 3-1 with his first goal of the year late in the second period. Northeastern continued to fight, but couldn't close the gap as QU extended its lead to 4-1 early in the third period. A goal from Zach Aston-Reese on the power play, his first of the season, brought the Huskies back within two, but Clifton put the game out of reach with an empty net goal late in regulation.

Special teams was a factor throughout the evening as the teams combined for 48 penalty minutes and 18 power play opportunities, with Quinnipiac going 2-of-8 and Northeastern 1-of-10.

Northeastern outshot Quinnipiac for the second straight night, peppering Truehl with 34 shots, while Ryan Ruckmade 23 saves on 28 shots on the night. After winning just 33% of its draws on Friday, Northeastern rebounded by taking 45-of-81 face-offs on Saturday night, including a 16-of-24 performance from Gaudette.

Goal descriptions:

- The Bobcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead 7:37 into the contest when Landon Smith buried his first of the season at the tail end of a Husky power play. As Tanner MacMaster was released from the penalty box, he joined a two-on-one Quinnipiac rush with Smith skating the puck down the right side. Despite two passing options, Smith elected to shoot from the right face-off dot, roofing a shot over the shoulder of Ruck for the score.

- Quinnipiac extended its lead to 2-0 near the midway mark of the frame as Karlis Cukste capitalized on a loose puck in the slot. With the Bobcats sustaining a bit of pressure in the attacking zone, they were able to poke the puck off of a Husky stick attempting to clear. Cukste spotted that and raced in towards the cage, collecting the puck and firing it five-hole for his first of the year.

- After Northeastern was called for three consecutive penalties that resulted in multiple five-on-three power play opportunities for the Bobcats, Quinnipiac took a commanding 3-0 lead with just two seconds remaining on the power play on Tim Clifton's first goal of the year. The Huskies, who were forced to kill off six penalties in the second period alone, fell victim to a rebound in front of Ruck as Clifton was able to shovel home an initial shot from K.J. Tiefenwerth at the right side.

- Northeastern brought the deficit back to two with 3:53 remaining in the second period as Gaudette netted his first of the year. Following a clean face-off win back to Ryan Shea at the point, Shea took a quick stride to elude a Bobcat winger to skate the puck along the blue line. He then took a step towards the cage and ripped a low shot that caught the pad of Truehl, but Gaudette was waiting on the doorstep to pound home the second attempt to make it a 3-1 game.

- Quinnipiac netted its second power play tally of the evening less than five minutes into the third period on Chase Priskie's first goal of the year, when he picked off a pass in the QU zone and went in uncontested on Ruck. Priskie faked left before going right and tucking the puck inside the post to make it 4-1 Bobcats.

- The Huskies wouldn't quit, however, and made it a two-goal game yet again on Aston-Reese's first goal of the season with 11:26 remaining in regulation. With Northeastern on the man advantage, Nolan Stevens fed Eric Williamswith a pass at the point. Williams' ensuing blast went off the pad of Truehl and into the air, where Aston-Reese was able to knock it in. The goal was briefly reviewed for a potential high stick, but stood as called.

- Northeastern made a final effort to cut the deficit to one by pulling Ruck late in regulation, and had a couple chances to make it a one-goal game, including a shot from Sikura that caught the post, but Quinnipiac weathered the storm and ended up putting home an empty netter from Tim Clifton with 1:17 to play.

Stats of the game:

- Northeastern is now 1-3-2 all-time against Quinnipiac.

- Sikura has three points in his first two games of the year. It took him six games to reach three points last season.

- Nolan Stevens has 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in his last 16 games, dating back to last season.

- Shea recorded his first collegiate point with his assist on Gaudette's second period goal.

The road ahead:

The Huskies will be back in action on Friday night when Northeastern travels to Ryan Arena for a 7 p.m. contest against Bentley. The teams will then meet again Saturday night at Matthews Arena, where the Huskies will unveil the 2016 Hockey East Championship banner prior to the game.