NORTHFORD, CT – Union (15-12-6, 8-7-4 ECACHL) had its five-game unbeaten streak snapped in a 3-1 loss against ECACHL opponent Quinnipiac (16-15-0, 7-12-0 ECACHL) at the Northford Ice Pavilion. Freshman Augie DiMarzo (West Haven, CT) tied the game in front of a home crowd after the Bobcats scored just 17 seconds into the first period. Quinnpiac regained the lead in the same period and was able to hold off Union the rest of the way.    

The Bobcats pounced out to an early 1-0 lead in the first period on their first shot of the game at 19:43. Sophomore Matt Sorteberg picked up his sixth goal of the season when his slap shot through traffic from the right face-off circle beat goaltender Kris Mayotte (Pittsburgh, PA) to his right side. Freshman Brian Leitch set up the play as he carried the puck into Union's zone and left it for Sorteberg who was trailing on the play.

DiMarzo came back to tie the game for Union at 10:55 on a rebound chance at the right post, following a couple unsuccessful scoring chances from the same spot earlier in the period. Senior Jason Visser (Mississauga, ONT) shot the puck from the left face-off circle after taking a feed from Chris Konnick (Binghamton, NY). Quinnipiac goaltender Bud Fisher made a stick save, but the puck deflected off to his left where DiMarzo skated in for the conversion, giving him a point in four of his last five games.

Quinnipiac answered less than four minutes later with a goal from Chris Walsh at 14:51. Mayotte attempted to clear the puck from behind his net but Peter Alden intercepted it and sent a pass to Walsh in front before the netminder could recover.

The score remained unchanged after the second period despite scoring chances from Union's Olivier Bouchard (Quebec City, QUE). The junior put a shot in front over the goal off a Quinnipiac turnover just 57 seconds into the period. His turnaround chance in front was covered by Fisher at 1:30. Bouchard's best chance came at 9:01 on a breakaway but he pushed the puck wide of the right post with a defenseman on his heels.

Leitch had a power play goal waved off in the closing minutes of the period for kicking the puck in at the right post with 1:26 remaining.

Union was stopped in front on a pair of power play chances midway through the third period, capped off by a shot from Scott Seney (Silver Spring, MD) that Fisher stopped with his left pad. They came up empty on six power play chances for the game.

Mayotte kept the Dutchmen within a goal when he stopped Reid Cashman on a shorthanded breakaway at 17:00. Cashman faked to his left and came back to the right but Mayotte lunged over and met him at the right post. Joe Dumais capped off the scoring with an empty net goal at 19:46.

Mayotte (15-11-5) finished with 21 saves while Fisher (14-11) made 19 for the Bobcats. Quinnipiac held a slight 24-20 advantage in shots and finished 0-for-5 on the power play.

Union wraps up regular season play on the road tomorrow against Princeton at 7:00 p.m.