Quinnipiac Bobcats 2026-27 - Cherry Blossom Special

[DrewQU99]

Kirsch was outstanding last night. Now we see how Applebee does in the same setting. Expect Maine to come out fired up again with another loud and hostile crowd at Alfond (the best student section I've seen, by the way!)

Go Bobcats!

 

[ZYanksRule]

Kirsch was outstanding last night. Now we see how Applebee does in the same setting. Expect Maine to come out fired up again with another loud and hostile crowd at Alfond (the best student section I've seen, by the way!)

Go Bobcats!

I'm also interested in seeing how we respond after an effort the players and coach heavily criticized postgame. Both teams have reason to come out flying tonight. Could be a fun one.

 

[QUAlum2004]

I'm also interested in seeing how we respond after an effort the players and coach heavily criticized postgame. Both teams have reason to come out flying tonight. Could be a fun one.

Last night was the game that Maine had to have based on how Quinnipiac played. If a different bobcats team comes out tonight they could take it to Maine and I am not sure the Black Bears can keep up.

 

[ZYanksRule]

Despite the result, thought the effort was a lot better tonight. The Wyttenbach line was particularly good. Obviously with better goaltending there's probably a different result. Going into the weekend I think we all would have taken a split up there.

The Kostov hit was awful. A very deserved 5-minute major. Exactly the type of hit we're trying to eradicate from the sport.

Obviously a very, very rough night for Appelbee. Right now it's pretty clear KIrsch is leading the race for the No. 1 goaltender spot but it's early still, and I'm not ready to make that choice yet. But another game or two like that from Appelbee and we will have our answer.

 

[.Nectar]

Frustrating one to lose. But, hopefully it will help QU to identify their weaknesses early on.

Negatives: Wyttenbach is great at scoring, but between the highlights its rough. Applebee has been disappointing in his two starts. QU airmailed tons of shots all series, including that breakaway

Positives: Offense was able to generate a lot of pressure. Wyttenbach is great at scoring. Defense got much better in the back half of the game.

Maine and QU always play each other tough, looking forward to the series next year. i wont be too disappointed that on a night where everything went wrong, QU only lost by 1 + an ENG at Alfond. made too many mistakes tonight to deserve a win, and Maine made it count (the inverse of last night). Lets see if QU learns from this series, and having their weaknesses exposed early makes them better. Onto Penn State!

 

[QUAlum2004]

This should really spell the end of the platoon in goal in my opinion. They win this game if Kirsch is playing. He has throughly outplayed Applebee in the teams 4 games played this year and I can’t take much more of this softness by Applebee in between the pipes.

 

[ZYanksRule]

This should really spell the end of the platoon in goal in my opinion. They win this game if Kirsch is playing. He has throughly outplayed Applebee in the teams 4 games played this year and I can’t take much more of this softness by Applebee in between the pipes.

I'm willing to give him another couple starts but he's going to have to start performing. Some of those goals he let in tonight were simply not good enough. And if Kirsch continues to perform at this level, he's going to become the 1A and Applebee will be stapled to the bench. But let's give him a chance. He's obviously fighting it now and I can't imagine he's really this bad.

 

[QUAlum2004]

I'm willing to give him another couple starts but he's going to have to start performing. Some of those goals he let in tonight were simply not good enough. And if Kirsch continues to perform at this level, he's going to become the 1A and Applebee will be stapled to the bench. But let's give him a chance. He's obviously fighting it now and I can't imagine he's really this bad.

I don’t think Applebee is that good. He’s has never really played at a high level and hasn’t played in the toughest leagues either in the CCHL, BCHL and for Lake Superior State while Kirsch is the prototype in net for size and has played tougher competition in the world juniors for Switzerland the past 2 years and a run to winning the Memorial Cup for Kitchener. There is just way more upside with Kirsch than Applebee and I just hope the coaching staff see’s it sooner rather than later because that was a winnable game they threw away by playing Applebee over Kirsch last night.

 

[QU_Paul]

I have seen enough of Applebee to elevate Scopa to G2. I hope he can improve but way too many soft goals and out of position.

 

[QUAlum2004]

I have seen enough of Applebee to elevate Scopa to G2. I hope he can improve but way too many soft goals and out of position.

Let’s cool the jets on Scopa. He’s a practice goalie. Applebee needs to just be the number 2 behind Kirsch.

 

[allnightwong4823]

I'm willing to give him another couple starts but he's going to have to start performing. Some of those goals he let in tonight were simply not good enough. And if Kirsch continues to perform at this level, he's going to become the 1A and Applebee will be stapled to the bench. But let's give him a chance. He's obviously fighting it now and I can't imagine he's really this bad.

Yeah, I'd agree more so with this take than the ones completely writing off Applebee, especially considering the scenario that Kirsch should get hurt down the road. But I think matchups are definitely key. Like, there is no world where Kirsch is not in net at Penn State, but I could see Rand giving Applebee a favorable opportunity to shake off the ghosts against an Army at home. Then, maybe back to Kirsch for Providence. By then, if Kirsch is stalwart in two more challenging matchups, he's the no-brainer for league play and on.

I am typically not a fan of platoons and if you look at successful Bobcats squads over the years, the success came, in large part, because we had one guy in net. Hartzell, Garteig, Perets. We really haven't had that since the title season. There are some exceptions - Shortridge and Petruzzelli both were solid for a two year span, at times alternating, but I'd like to establish a true #1 while also having a competent backup who isn't being thrown to the wolves if services are needed.

 

[ZYanksRule]

Yeah, I'd agree more so with this take than the ones completely writing off Applebee, especially considering the scenario that Kirsch should get hurt down the road. But I think matchups are definitely key. Like, there is no world where Kirsch is not in net at Penn State, but I could see Rand giving Applebee a favorable opportunity to shake off the ghosts against an Army at home. Then, maybe back to Kirsch for Providence. By then, if Kirsch is stalwart in two more challenging matchups, he's the no-brainer for league play and on.

I am typically not a fan of platoons and if you look at successful Bobcats squads over the years, the success came, in large part, because we had one guy in net. Hartzell, Garteig, Perets. We really haven't had that since the title season. There are some exceptions - Shortridge and Petruzzelli both were solid for a two year span, at times alternating, but I'd like to establish a true #1 while also having a competent backup who isn't being thrown to the wolves if services are needed.

Agree with that schedule and it's exactly what I was thinking for which games Kirsch should get moving forward. Applebee can (and should) get some starts against the worse teams in ECAC to keep him fresh and try to get him going, but if he continues with a 3.00+ GAA moving forward, it's going to be Kirsch's job.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Applebee put up good numbers behind bad teams at LSSU. I can't imagine he'd be any worse behind a good team. I want to think he just needs time. Team first and all that but he can't be relegated to the bench especially is Scopa isn't ready for prime time.

 

[QUAlum2004]

I talked to a former prominent Bobcat, and he thinks Kirsch is going to be Rand's lead horse. The Maine series was the test to see which goaltender could rise to the moment in a tough, hostile environment. One succeeded and one did not.

 

[QUAlum2004]

Applebee put up good numbers behind bad teams at LSSU. I can't imagine he'd be any worse behind a good team. I want to think he just needs time. Team first and all that but he can't be relegated to the bench especially is Scopa isn't ready for prime time.

Kirsch is going to be the lead horse. His upside is far greater than Applebee's will ever be. I think this race is very close to being over. To me they can't win a national championship with Applebee in goal with what I have seen in his two games. I am convinced they can win a national championship Kirsch in goal. Frankly the stats and the eye test don't lie. Go with the better goalie and ride him.

 

[allnightwong4823]

Very excited to watch the boys play what should be a hotly contested road test at Pegula tomorrow night. Penn State's season certainly didn't get off on the right foot with fellow Nutmeggers SHU and UConn dispatching of the Nittany Lions in a pair last weekend in the Ice Breaker. Without watching, it seemed that Penn State dictated play Friday against UConn, outshooting the Huskies 43-25, and winning 65% of faceoffs, despite losing 3-1. Those nights happen.

Saturday, the script flipped and CJ's boys outshot the Fighting Gal Gadotskys 40-25. Using two different netminders over the two nights seems like Guy is doing the same thing Rand is in trying to find the obvious starter. Josh Fleming let in fewer goals Friday but was not nearly tested as much as Ryder Fetterolf on Saturday, when he stopped 30 of 34. SHU's last two were empty netters.

Not a great trip to CT, so I'm sure Penn State will be primed and ready to go in their home opener, a rink where they are 12-1 over the last two years in non-conference games. Albeit, all of those non-conference foes resided well outside of the top 10 when they visited.

We have a very limited sample size with Penn State, so for my recurring segment, we are limited to one game, a 3-2 Quinnipiac home win back on October 12, 2024. Jeremy Wilmer potted two in that victory.

Quinnipiac has had great success with Big 10 foes in their history winning their last six against member schools (including the big 3 in the title run). Their last loss to a Big 10 school came in the 2022 Regional Final to Michigan, the only loss since the Big 10 became their own conference in 2013-14. Thanks in large part to dominating a three-season series with Ohio State (2009-12), Quinnipiac is actually 11-3-1 over their last 15 matchups with Big 10 member schools.

Enlighten me if I missed it, but I haven't heard any word of Kostov being suspended, despite a lot of discourse on the Twittersphere. IMO, the hit does warrant some type of suspension or review. I'll assume we see Kirsch in net, especially given how well he did in the hostile Alfond environment. That's all. Go Q!

 

[cinnamoroll]

Very excited to watch the boys play what should be a hotly contested road test at Pegula tomorrow night. Penn State's season certainly didn't get off on the right foot with fellow Nutmeggers SHU and UConn dispatching of the Nittany Lions in a pair last weekend in the Ice Breaker. Without watching, it seemed that Penn State dictated play Friday against UConn, outshooting the Huskies 43-25, and winning 65% of faceoffs, despite losing 3-1. Those nights happen.

Saturday, the script flipped and CJ's boys outshot the Fighting Gal Gadotskys 40-25. Using two different netminders over the two nights seems like Guy is doing the same thing Rand is in trying to find the obvious starter. Josh Fleming let in fewer goals Friday but was not nearly tested as much as Ryder Fetterolf on Saturday, when he stopped 30 of 34. SHU's last two were empty netters.

Not a great trip to CT, so I'm sure Penn State will be primed and ready to go in their home opener, a rink where they are 12-1 over the last two years in non-conference games. Albeit, all of those non-conference foes resided well outside of the top 10 when they visited.

We have a very limited sample size with Penn State, so for my recurring segment, we are limited to one game, a 3-2 Quinnipiac home win back on October 12, 2024. Jeremy Wilmer potted two in that victory.

Quinnipiac has had great success with Big 10 foes in their history winning their last six against member schools (including the big 3 in the title run). Their last loss to a Big 10 school came in the 2022 Regional Final to Michigan, the only loss since the Big 10 became their own conference in 2013-14. Thanks in large part to dominating a three-season series with Ohio State (2009-12), Quinnipiac is actually 11-3-1 over their last 15 matchups with Big 10 member schools.

Enlighten me if I missed it, but I haven't heard any word of Kostov being suspended, despite a lot of discourse on the Twittersphere. IMO, the hit does warrant some type of suspension or review. I'll assume we see Kirsch in net, especially given how well he did in the hostile Alfond environment. That's all. Go Q!

apparently ECAC policy is to not announce supplemental discipline, which is strange. not a fan. if we dont see him id guess that's why, though i could see internal discipline w a scratch. id guess if asked rand will say the reason.

from watching the penn state games (co-captain is a sharks pick), Fetterolf made some really high end saves. Fleming was great for them last year though. no idea who yall will see. UConn's goalie Kam Hendrickson on the first game (huskies captain is also a sharks pick lol) kinda stole that one. gadowsky was happy with how they played that game so id guess we see closer to that game than the sacred heart game.

their injury situation is tough though. all of last year they were without junior F Keaton Peters after he tore his ACL and had preseason surgery. he had one shift in the uconn game before getting a knee on knee, and they announced this week he 1. retore his ACL 2. tore his MCL 3. tore his medial and lateral meniscus... he will not be back this season. brutal break for him and a not super deep penn state team, they def missed his two way ability last year. notable pest soph F Shea Van Olm might be out as well.

most dangerous goal scorers are soph transfer forward Justin Poirier- might remember him from Maine last year, ginger goal scorer- and freshmen forwards Justin Larose and Kale Dach. Dach has been great on faceoffs, as always a rarity for freshmen. another big body freshman to watch out for (like a Kostov) is Shea Busch. Soph F Luke Misa looked dangerous but hasn't cashed in, he ended last season very strong. on the back end soph Jackson Smith and senior Mac Gadowsky are carrying the load. senior co-captains Dane Dowiak and Reese Laubach are usually the top 2 centers. their pk has been great thus far.

in prior experience, Kirsch would've encountered Busch in the Memorial Cup along with Marco Mignosa and Kaden Pitre in the OHL. Kostov, Pitre, and soph D Nolan Collins were teammates in Flint. Kostov, Edwards, Frasca all would've been subjected to Fetterolf's torrid OHL run w Ottawa. Schultz, Tivey, Golicic, Verreault, Vidicek all prob encountered Fleming in the Q where he was a good goalie for a very bad Acadie Bathurst team. finally the last time Stockfish was at Maine before last weekend was when Justin Poirier put up a hat trick vs Holy Cross last year in his college debut.

should be a fun game!

edit: was just announced that Elliot Groenewold will be going to the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland this December. congrats to him!

 

[QUAlum2004]

Really good road win after trailing 2-0 and scoring 6 unanswered. Looks like Alex Kostov was suspended as he didn't play. No clue how long the suspension will be for, but they can easily get away with it next week against Army if he's still suspended. Kirsch had 30 saves and the first two goals were not really his fault. Breakaway on the first one, major traffic on the second one. Third one he gave up a big rebound, but the defense was horrible allowing that guy all the way into the zone.

 

[.Nectar]

Listened from the radio tonight, solid rally from the squad after being down early, good road win, but they got caught up in extracurriculars again