QBSNBobcatsHockey
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This upcoming weekend, the Quinnipiac Bobcats Women's Ice Hockey Team will travel to Princeton for a three game series of the 2011 ECAC Quaerterfinals.
Many have projected the Bobcats to go deep into the playoffs this year, as they are tight defensively, can score almost at will, and have an absolute wall in goal in the form of Victoria Vigilanti.
But one thin that concerns me was the play of the Bobcats as the season drew to a close. Where a strong finish would have been ideal to get home ice in the first round of the playoffs, it was anything but. In the final ten games of the season, the Bobcats went 5-3-2, a winning record but not astonishing, with one of those losses being overtime. This is not a team seen as one who should tie, but finishing the season with two of them may be in the back of the minds of the Bobcats players as well as the coaching staff. This unfortunate late run could be attributed to giving up leads, not playing a concerted team effort, and Vigilanti giving up uncharacteristic goals.
As a result, Quinnipiac went from sitting comfortably in home ice range to becoming the fifth seed, now having to faceoff against Princeton on the road. I see the Bobcats taking care of all these little problems and tweaking them come playoff time to make them a more dangerous opponent, and for what should be a good series against Princeton. It is hard to call who will come out on top, as Princeton had very strong play downt the stretch, and time will only tell if it carries into the playoffs. The two teams split the season series, with Princeton winning at home 3-0 and the Bobcats then getting revenge in Connecticut 5-2.
The fact is that the Bobcats are a very young team, with many freshman contributing to their sucess this season, especially Freshman foward Kelly Babstock, who has set school records in nearly every scoring category. Last year they might have been suprised to make the playoffs, and may have taken it easy in the first round, which resulted in an early departure. But look for the Bobcats to be more sure of themselves this time around, as the senior leadership will surely come out and help the Bobcats play the best way they know how.
Look for Freshman fowards Kelly Babstock and Kate Wheeler to lead the charge up front, with Senior Captain Jordan Elkins holding down the blueline, and leaving the last line of defense with Sophomore goalie Victoria Vigilanti.
For Princeton, look to Olivia Mucha and Sahsa Sherry up front, with many defenders contributing points and Rachel Weber in net to counteract Vigilanti on the other end of the ice.
Notes:
Princeton leads 10-1-2 overall and 6-0-1 at home against the Bobcats.
Both teams have never met in the playoffs.
Many have projected the Bobcats to go deep into the playoffs this year, as they are tight defensively, can score almost at will, and have an absolute wall in goal in the form of Victoria Vigilanti.
But one thin that concerns me was the play of the Bobcats as the season drew to a close. Where a strong finish would have been ideal to get home ice in the first round of the playoffs, it was anything but. In the final ten games of the season, the Bobcats went 5-3-2, a winning record but not astonishing, with one of those losses being overtime. This is not a team seen as one who should tie, but finishing the season with two of them may be in the back of the minds of the Bobcats players as well as the coaching staff. This unfortunate late run could be attributed to giving up leads, not playing a concerted team effort, and Vigilanti giving up uncharacteristic goals.
As a result, Quinnipiac went from sitting comfortably in home ice range to becoming the fifth seed, now having to faceoff against Princeton on the road. I see the Bobcats taking care of all these little problems and tweaking them come playoff time to make them a more dangerous opponent, and for what should be a good series against Princeton. It is hard to call who will come out on top, as Princeton had very strong play downt the stretch, and time will only tell if it carries into the playoffs. The two teams split the season series, with Princeton winning at home 3-0 and the Bobcats then getting revenge in Connecticut 5-2.
The fact is that the Bobcats are a very young team, with many freshman contributing to their sucess this season, especially Freshman foward Kelly Babstock, who has set school records in nearly every scoring category. Last year they might have been suprised to make the playoffs, and may have taken it easy in the first round, which resulted in an early departure. But look for the Bobcats to be more sure of themselves this time around, as the senior leadership will surely come out and help the Bobcats play the best way they know how.
Look for Freshman fowards Kelly Babstock and Kate Wheeler to lead the charge up front, with Senior Captain Jordan Elkins holding down the blueline, and leaving the last line of defense with Sophomore goalie Victoria Vigilanti.
For Princeton, look to Olivia Mucha and Sahsa Sherry up front, with many defenders contributing points and Rachel Weber in net to counteract Vigilanti on the other end of the ice.
Notes:
Princeton leads 10-1-2 overall and 6-0-1 at home against the Bobcats.
Both teams have never met in the playoffs.
