HAMDEN, Conn. – If Odeen Tufto was nervous about his freshman season at Quinnipiac, the Minnesota native hasn’t shown it.
Tufto has four points through his first three games with Quinnipiac, which includes his first collegiate goal and the game-winning goal in Saturday’s 3-2 overtime win over Vermont. It was the blistering shot of Brogan Rafferty from the point that led to a juicy rebound for Tufto to clean up in front of the net to win the game with 2:33 left in overtime.
“It was huge. That was the third game that went to OT and we needed a win,” Tufto said. “The last two games and this one we gave up goals in the third. We just needed that to get a streak going here.”
The win was Quinnipiac’s first win of the season after falling to No. 2 Boston University last Sunday and tying No. 13 Boston College on opening night. Both games went to overtime after the Bobcats failed to hold a lead in the third period.
Saturday night was not much different. The Bobcats were clinging to a 2-1 lead late in the third period when Craig Puffer was able to sneak the puck by starter Andrew Shortridge with 8:27 left in regulation.
“I thought Vermont had a good push in the third and we didn’t push back,” Bobcats head coach Rand Pecknold said. “We give them credit, we have to push back better. We have to get some more forwards up to speed and I didn’t think we played enough forwards tonight.
“I’d like to play the fourth line a little more, but they also have to warrant that ice time. So we have to find a way to get some of these freshman or other players up to speed and be more of a four line team.”
The Bobcats had kicked off Saturday’s game with a lot of energy. Less than 30 seconds into the game, Tufto nearly had his first goal of the afternoon. By the end of the first 20 minutes, Qunnipiac had outshot Vermont 16-7, and had hit the iron four times.
Yet in the second period it was Vermont who found the back of the net first. Liam Coughlin took a shot from the slot and quickly skated to the front of the net to pick up his own rebound, and score 3:23 into the second.
Tufto helped the Bobcats quickly respond 35 seconds later with his first career collegiate goal. The freshman forward picked up a rebound in front of the net and put it past Vermont starter Stefanos Lekkas.
“It was good to finally find the back of the net,” Tufto said about the goal.
It was a goal in the final minute of the second that gave Quinnipiac the lead. Tanner MacMaster shot the puck from the slot and it trickled through Lakkas’ pads to give the Bobcats a 2-1 lead with 55.8 seconds left on the clock.
Lakkas finished the game with 34 saves, while Shortridge made 22 saves in the win.
But it was Tufto’s contributions that came up the most clutch for the Bobcats in the win. Tufto recorded assists in the program’s first two games and has had the benefit of playing alongside several seasoned seniors to start his college career.
Pecknold still sees some things with Tufto’s game that need to be worked on, but he has been impressed with what he’s seen so far.
“He makes plays,” the Quinnipiac coach said. “He was great last year in the USHL. He was great the year before in Vernon. We knew he could be an impact freshman and hoping he can be a top-six kid. Certainly he’s proven that so far…. He’s going to be a big time player for us.”
Tufto was quick to credit his linemates with his early season success. He has played his first three games alongside senior Landon Smith and on Saturday he had MacMaster, another senior, with him as well.
“Definitely playing with those guys gives you confidence,” Tufto said.
