HAMDEN CT.- The Quinnipiac Bobcats took on familiar in-state rival UConn for the first time since the 2004-05 season Saturday night at QU’s home opener at the TD Banknorth Sports Center. Yet, it was the Bobcats who took advantage of a power play to come out on top with the support of freshman goaltender Nick Pisellini.

“He definitely won the game tonight,” Head Coach Rand Pecknold said of Pisellini, who made 22 saves.

Team scoring leader Brandon Wong gave the Bobcats some breathing room at the 10:45 mark, breaching the UConn power-play defense and forcing the puck by UConn goalie Beau Erickson making the score 3-1. Wong collected his fourth goal and sixth point this season, with assists by senior Bryan Leitch and assistant captain Jean-Marc Beaudoin.

Just less than two minutes later, QU took advantage of that same power play adding a fourth goal for security. Off a pass from freshman Spencer Heichman, David Marshall fired a shot that escaped Erickson and dribbled over the line for his second goal of the game before a confused Huskies defense could stop it. Zach Hansen also contributed on the assist.

“Ultimately our competitiveness was much better,” Pecknold said, adding that the team has struggled every game this season. However, the Bobcats applied more pressure tonight by crashing the goal and getting the loose pucks before UConn.

Although the Bobcats started off strong, the Huskies got on the board first at the 8:32 mark UConn’s Stevie Bergin got his first goal of the season as he blasted a shot past freshman Pisellini. Bergin was in perfect position in front of the net as Justin Hernandez recorded his first point on the season as he placed the puck on Bergin’s stick for a one-timer into the net.

“[Pisellini] didn’t really have a chance on [the save],” Pecknold said. He added that UConn screened Pisellini well before the goal.

The Bobcats (2-2-0) had a chance to even the score later in the first as senior Marshall fired a shot, collected the rebound and attempted to net the puck again. His attempt, however, was stifled as UConn (2-4-0) defenseman Sean Erickson got called for delay of game after falling into and displacing the net at the 14:15 mark. But it was the freshmen who proved to be a force to be reckoned with, as Heichman and Scott Zurevinski were put on the same line for the first time.

“We juggled the lines a little bit after [UMass Lowell] trying to get more balance,” Pecknold said.

However, this line worked as Zurevinski leveled the score at the 5:43 mark when Heichman collected a loose puck outside the crease, fed it to Zurevinski and netted it for his first goal of the season. The assist is Heichman’s second this season.

Keeping the momentum going, QU pressured goaltender Erickson blasting several shots on net before Marshall broke through at the 7:54 mark and put the Bobcats ahead 2-1. Junior Greg Holt got his first point of the season as he assisted Marshall on his second goal this season. The Bobcats visibly clicked more on the ice and overcame the adversity they faced early in the game as they struggled to get on the board.

“It shows the kind of character we’re going to have later on in the year,” Marshall said.

UConn almost tied it up again, as Nick Schneider took a shot that deflected off the pole early in the third. Approximately five minutes later, Pisellini crushed the Huskies’ hope of a tie again, as he lunged across the net saving the potential game-tying goal with the tip of his right skate.

“[Pisilleni] has done a great job. We put him in relief early in the [UMass] Lowell game and he did a great job and came in and battled and he made some nice saves,” Pecknold said. He added that it will be a game-by-game decision concerning who will play net: the fresh Pisellini or seasoned Bud Fisher.

“You’ve got a kid that’s willing to work hard and you’ve got [sophomore goaltender Pat] McGann pushing him every day and [Fisher] pushing him every day," Marshall said. "It’s definitely going to help us down the road."

QU starts conference play next Friday Nov. 7th against Colgate at the TD Banknorth Center.