Northeastern Toppled by Quinnipiac, 6-4

Senior forward Dylan Sikura scored two goals and an assist for the Huskies
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 7:39  QUI1-0 PP Alex Whelan (3)Kārlis Čukste/1, John Furgele/2
1st 17:25  NOE1-1 PP Nolan Stevens (1)Adam Gaudette/7, Jeremy Davies/2
2nd 1:22  NOE2-1 PP Dylan Sikura (4)Jeremy Davies/3, Nolan Stevens/2
2nd 9:52  QUI2-2 EV Landon Smith (1)Tanner MacMaster/3, Odeen Tufto/3
2nd 10:30  NOE3-2 EV Adam Gaudette (2)Patrick Schule/1, Dylan Sikura/5
2nd 15:58  QUI3-3 PP Odeen Tufto (3)Chase Priskie/1, Craig Martin/2
2nd 19:58.7 NOE4-3 EV Dylan Sikura (5)Jeremy Davies/4, Eric Williams/2
3rd 1:04  QUI4-4 EV Kārlis Čukste (1)Thomas Aldworth/1, Nick Jermain/1
3rd 9:05  QUI5-4 EV GW Tanner MacMaster (2)Nick Jermain/2, Luke Shiplo/1
3rd 14:14  QUI6-4 EV Craig Martin (1)Nick Jermain/3, Alex Whelan/1
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Quinnipiac  1236
Northeastern  1304
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Quinnipiac  45615
Northeastern  1319941
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Quinnipiac (2-1-1)  2/2 8/16 0
Northeastern (2-1-1)  2/5 5/10 0
Quinnipiac Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Keith Petruzzelli (W, 1-1-0)60:004 1216937
Northeastern Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Cayden Primeau (L, 1-1-1)57:516 3339
Empty Net2:090     

BOSTON, Mass. - Three points apiece from Dylan Sikura (two goals, one assist) and Jeremy Davies (three assists) weren't enough as No. 18 Quinnipiac (2-1-1) scored three times in the third period to hand the No. 16/14 Northeastern men's hockey team (2-1-1) its first loss of the season on Friday night in a back and forth bout at Matthews Arena, 6-4.

With the score tied at one through 20 minutes, the teams traded goals in the middle frame, including Sikura's second of the night with 1.3 seconds left in the period, to give the hosts a 4-3 lead after two. But it was all Quinnipiac from there, scoring three in a span of 14 minutes to skate away with the win.

Sikura recorded his 100th career point in the loss, becoming the 50th player in team history, and fourth in the last three seasons, to accomplish the feat. Nolan Stevens and Adam Gaudette (one goal, one assist) also scored for the Huskies, while Cayden Primeau made nine saves. At the other end, Quinnipiac received goals from six different skaters, including the eventual game-winner from Tanner MacMaster midway through the third period. Keith Petruzzelli was tested throughout the night, steering aside 37 Northeastern shots, while Nick Jermain added three assists.

Both power play units converted twice during the contest, with Northeastern going 2-of-5 and tossing 15 shots on goal, while the Bobcats went 2-of-2.

Goal descriptions

- Quinnipiac struck first 7:39 into the game when Whelan potted his third of the season in the final seconds of a Bobcat power play. With the Huskies in the box for a hooking minor, John Furgele left the puck for Karlis Cukste at the point. Cukste then fired a low shot that missed the cage wide, but Whelan quickly gathered it and sped to the opposite side for the wraparound past Primeau.

- Northeastern knotted the game at one with 2:35 to go in the first on Stevens' first of the season. After Quinnipiac got called for a high stick, Davies chased down a puck at the point before tossing it down to Adam Gaudette below the goal line. Gaudette then fired a pass up to Stevens between the hashmarks for a shot that was stopped by Petruzzelli, but Stevens stayed with it and potted the rebound to make it 1-1.

- The Husky power play converted again just 1:22 into the second period on Sikura's fourth of the year. Sikura began the play in the defensive zone by feeding Stevens at the left side heading up ice. Stevens carried the puck into the attacking zone and dropped to Davies, who in turn threaded a pass across to Sikura for the low one-timer past Petruzzelli for his 100th career point.

- Quinnipiac tied the game right back up with some tic-tac-toe passing midway through the frame. As the Bobcats crossed into the offensive zone, Odeen Tufto dished the puck over to Tanner MacMaster at the left side. MacMaster then slid it across the grain to Smith, was who able to redirect it off the left post and in for his first of the season.

- Gaudette and the Huskies retook the lead just 38 seconds later, however, with his second of the season. As the teams battled for possession in the Quinnipiac zone, Patrick Schule poked the loose puck away from a Bobcat defenseman and on to the stick of Gaudette, who popped out in front and tucked it under the pad of Petruzzelli for the 3-2 NU lead.

- Quinnipiac wouldn't go away, though, as Tufto leveled the game at three with 4:02 left in the second during a power play opportunity. After taking a pass from Chase Priskie, Tufto protected the puck with his body and flung a backhand over the shoulder of Primeau as he fell to the ice for his third of the year.

- Northeastern, determined to have the lead through two periods, beat the buzzer with just 1.3 seconds left in the second period with Sikura's second of the game, controlling a hard feed from Davies at the left side and sneaking one home to make it 4-3.

- Quinnipiac came right back 1:04 into the third period on Cukste's first of the year, flinging a puck through traffic and through Primeau from the left point.

- Quinnipiac went up 5-4 with 10:55 to play in regulation on MacMaster's second of the season, taking a feed from Nick Jermain, flying down the right side and sending a bullet that beat Primeau blocker side.

- Martin gave the Bobcats a two-goal lead with 5:36 to play in regulation during a scramble in front of the Northeastern goal as Jermain batted a puck out of midair and on to the stick of Martin, who tossed a backhand home for his first of the season.

Stats of the game

- Northeastern is now 1-4-2 all-time against Quinnipiac.

- Friday's loss snaps a six-game home winning streak for the Huskies, dating back to last season.

- Sikura became the 50th player in team history to reach 100 career points, and fourth in the last three seasons (Kevin Roy, Zach Aston-Reese, John Stevens).

- Sikura is just the seventh player in the NCAA in the last six seasons to record 10 points in his team's first four games.

- Davies tied a career-high with three assists

The road ahead

- The teams will meet again tomorrow in the series finale at Matthews Arena. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m.