Six players scored as Quinnipiac blanked the Durham Junior Lightning 7-0 on Saturday in the Bobcats’ only exhibition of the season.
“I liked the way our D moved the puck for the first game,” said Quinnipiac head coach Rick Seeley. “We had some great, crisp, clean passes. We have to battle more, but for a first game that’s to be expected.”
Brittany Lyons scored twice for the ninth-ranked Bobcats, who scored twice late in the first period to take control.
Breann Frykas, a junior transfer from national powerhouse Wisconsin, scored her first goal for the Bobcats for a 1-0 lead with 3:23 left in the first period. Frykas broke through the zone on the right wing and sent an innocent backhand shot on Jackie Rochefort. The soft backhander sneaked between the right post and the left leg pad of the Durham goaltender.
Quinnipiac took a 2-0 lead just 56 seconds later when Amanda Colin’s hard work and burst of speed paid off. Colin gained position on the left wing and made a pair of deke moves to the slot. Colin then ripped a wrist shot through the five hole of Rochefort.
The Bobcats exploded for three goals in the second period to take a 5-0 lead.
They went up by three goals after Lyons was left wide open to the left of Rochefort. Quinnipiac’s Kelly Babstock cycled behind the net and sent a centering pass for Colin in the slot. Colin’s shot was tipped to the right side, where Lyons slammed it into the gaping net.
Midway through the second period both teams elected to make changes between the pipes with Durham bringing in Kimberley Kelly, while the Bobcats replaced Victoria Vigilanti with Chelsea Laden.
At the 10:35 marker of the second period the Bobcats went up 4-0 on a goal from Swedish freshman Anna Borgfeldt. Borgfeldt was able to knock home a deflection in front of the Durham net. Nicole Kosta’s wrist shot from the high point deflected to the right of Keller, where Borgfeldt wristed it home.
Kristen Eklund joined the party just three minutes later on a centering feed from Chelsea Illchuk. Illchuk battled for the puck behind the Durham net and sent a backhand feed to the slot, where Eklund went top shelf to beat Keller.
Quinnipiac added two more goals in the third period.
Lyons scored her second of the night off of an incredible play from Babstock, the 2011 ECAC player of the year. Babstock took control of the puck in the right corner, deked around one defender and fell to one knee. Babstock deked from one knee back to her skates and moved around another defender, drawing a tripping penalty. As Laden retreated from the Quinnipiac net, Babstock ripped a shot on net that was tipped by Lyons just past the sprawling effort from Keller.
“I love working on that line,” Lyons said with a smile. “Babs is great to play with and both of my goals tonight she had a hand in. It is amazing to see how she always knows how to get you the puck.”
The Bobcats added one more with just nine seconds left on the clock when a centering feed found the stick of Nicole Kosta, who promptly wristed the puck into the back of the Lightning net.
“I thought Kosta arrived pretty well,” Seeley said. “She does very well creating space for her linemates, and she has great skills handling the puck.”
Senior Mic Spiessel played the final 10 minutes in net for Quinnipiac.
Quinnipiac will travel to No. 8 Mercyhurst next weekend to start the regular season.
“Next weekend can go a long way either way for the rest of the season,” Seeley said. “Our girls are aware of it and it is no secret that they want to make the national tournament.”
