Quinnipiac junior Connor Jones scored the game-winning goal late in the third period to lead the nationally-ranked No. 2 Bobcats to a 2-1 win against Connecticut in a non-conference match-up at High Point Solutions Arena at the TD Bank Sports Center. The Bobcats' NCAA-best undefeated streak now stands at 17 games (15-0-2) while they also improve to 18-3-3 on the year.
In addition to Jones' third-period heroics, the Bobcats benefited from multiple-point nights from Matthew Peca and Jeremy Langlois. Peca had a goal and an assist while Langlois had two assists.
Langlois and Clay Harvey, who also had an assist on Peca's goal, are now tied for the team lead with 12 assists. Eric Hartzell had 21 saves to improve to 18-2-3 on the year. Quinnipiac outshot UConn, 50-21.
The Bobcats' lone goal of the first frame came off the tape of Peca, whose seventh goal of the season gave the Bobcats a 1-0 lead. Langlois picked the puck up in front of the Connecticut bench and passed it across the neutral zone to Harvey. Harvey streaked down the left flank before spinning to fire a pass to Peca, who deftly received the puck between the face-off circles and one-timed a shot over the shoulder of UConn goalie Matt Grogan to put the Bobcats out in front. Grogan would finish with 48 saves after weathering 50 shots on goal from the Bobcats, a season-high for Quinnipiac.
With 5:06 remaining in the second period, UConn's Billy Latta tied the game with his second goal of the season on a breakaway, faking to the back-hand before stepping across the crease and slipping the puck behind Hartzell. Latta blocked a shot in the Huskies' defensive zone before it trickled back to the slot to Brant Harris. As Latta took off down-ice, Harris' pass led Latta over center ice before the senior wing skated one-on-one with Hartzell and tying the game at 1-1.
Quinnipiac returns to action on Friday, Feb. 1 when it travels to Providence, R.I. to take Brown in an ECAC Hockey match-up at Meehan Auditorium at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Feb. 2, Quinnipiac will head to Ingalls Rink to take on No. 8 Yale at 7 p.m. in a game that will be available live on CPTV, where available.
