Quinnipiac Women's Ice Hockey Hosts Cornell And Colgate To Open ECAC Hockey Schedule

Friday, October 29, 2010 - 7 p.m.
Quinnipiac University Bobcats (5-1-1) (0-0-0 ECAC) vs.
Cornell University Big Red (2-0-0) (0-0-0 ECAC)

Saturday, October 30, 2010 - 4 p.m.
Quinnipiac University Bobcats (5-1-1) (0-0-0 ECAC) vs.
Colgate University Raiders (2-4-0) (0-0-0 ECAC)
TD Bank Sports Center - Hamden, Conn.

ECAC Hockey Opening Weekend
The Quinnipiac University women's ice hockey team will play its first two ECAC Hockey home games this weekend when it hosts Cornell on Friday, Oct. 29 and Colgate on Saturday, Oct. 30. Friday's contest is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. while Saturday's contest is slated to start at 4 p.m.

Follow The Bobcats
Live Stats for this weekend's game will be available. To access live stats, please click on the appropriate links on women's ice hockey schedule at www.quinnipiacbobcats.com.

About Cornell University
Cornell, ranked second in the USCHO.com Division I Women's Poll, began its season with a weekend sweep over Robert Morris University on Friday, Oct. 22 and Saturday, Oct. 23. In its 9-1 victory on Saturday night, six different skaters scored for the Big Red, including freshman forward Jessica Campbell, who netted four goals in the game. Junior forward Rebecca Johnson also picked up three points on the evening. Junior forward Kandice Ogilvie is tied with Johnson for the team lead in assists with three. Junior goaltender Amanda Mazzotta has made 19 saves on the season for a .864 save percentage and a 1.50 goals-against average.

Past History Against The Big Red
Friday's game will be the 14th time the two teams will have faced each other. Last season, the two squads tied on two separate occasions. In the last contest played on Friday, Feb. 5, 2010, the teams played to a 0-0 draw. Freshman goaltender Victoria Vigilanti (Woodbridge, Ontario) made 37 saves in the contest which, at the time, was a season-high.

About Colgate University
Colgate comes into Hamden in the midst of a three-game losing streak. Last weekend, the Raiders were swept in a two-game series against Wayne State on Friday, Oct. 22 and Saturday, Oct. 23. Sophomore forward Brittany Phillips leads the way with two goals and two assists. Sophomore defender Jordan Brickner is the team-leader with four assists. Senior goaltender Lisa Plenderleith and junior goaltender Kimberly Sass have split time in goal this year, as each has played three games. Plenderleith has made 93 saves on the season for a .903 save percentage and a 3.28 goals-against average, while Sass has turned away 82 shots for a .911 save percentage and a 2.64 goals-against average.

Past History Against The Raiders
Saturday's contest will be the 18th time the two teams will have faced each other. In the last meeting on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010, the Bobcats defeated the Raiders. The game-winning goal was scored in the second period by senior forward Evelina Husar.

Last Time Out
Quinnipiac played #7 Boston College to a 3-3 tie on Friday, Oct. 22 at the TD Bank Sports Center in Hamden, Conn. The Bobcats were led by junior forward Kate Wheeler (Oakville, Ontario) who scored two goals, and freshman forward Kelly Babstock (Mississauga, Ontario), who registered three assists. Wheeler's redirection goal at the 17:34 mark of the third period completed the Bobcats two-goal deficit comeback.

Twice Is Nice
Wheeler was rewarded with her second ECAC/MLX Skates Player of the Week selection on Tuesday, Oct. 26, after netting two goals against #7 Boston College in a 3-3 tie. She now has a career-high five goals on the season. Wheeler is tied with freshman forward Erica Uden Johansson (Sundsvall, Sweden) for second on the team in goals.

Power-Play Unit Punishes
Quinnipiac's power-play unit killed all six penalties against #7 Boston College. Overall, Quinnipiac has killed 28 of 31 penalties, holding its opponents to a 9.7% conversion rate.

Assist Machine
Babstock has recorded at least one assist in every game this season. Her three assists against #7 Boston College were a season-high. She now has a team-high 12 assists on the season and is the team-leader in points with 17.

Half and Half
Half of Quinnipiac's goals this season have come on its power-play opportunities. On Friday, Oct. 22 against #7 Boston College, the Bobcats scored two power-play goals to increase its season total to 12. Quinnipiac has converted 30% of its power play chances, which is good for second amongst ECAC Women's Hockey teams.

National Recognition
Quinnipiac was recognized for the third straight week in the USCHO.com Division I Women's Poll which was released on October 25. The Bobcats received seven votes in the weekly poll.

A Look Ahead
Quinnipiac's next game will be played on Tuesday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. against Princeton University at the TD Bank Sports Center in Hamden, Conn. On Friday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. the Bobcats travel to Schenectady, N.Y. to face Union College, followed by a Saturday afternoon meeting at 4 p.m. against RPI in Troy, N.Y.