Junior center Neil Breen scored two goals, including the eventual game-winner with 15:02 left in the third period, to lead Quinnipiac to a 4-1 victory over Sacred Heart in a MAAC contest before an overflowing crowd of 1,150 at the Northford Ice Pavilion.
With the game tied at one, the Braves scored three goals in the third period, including two in the final 51 seconds, to seal the win, its ninth straight victory at home. Ryan Olson added one goal and one assist, and Chris Cerrella contributed two assists for Quinnipiac.
The Braves improved to 21-0-3 in their last 24 MAAC regular-season contests.
Quinnipiac took a 1-0 lead just 4:11 into the contest as Olson scored with just one second remaining on a power play.
Sacred Heart tied the score with a power-play tally by Chris Mokos at 3:59 of the second period, but Breen made it 2-1 when he snuck one past Sacred Heart goaltender Eddy Ferhi at 4:58 of the final period. Breen’s goal was assisted by Olson and Cerrella.
With the lead, the Braves’ defense held tough. After Cerrella and Shawn Mansoff were each whistles for penalties, the Braves then killed off a 5-on-3 Sacred Heart power play.
Freshman goaltender Justin Eddy made six of his 24 saves in the man-down situation.
Just nine seconds after Sacred Heart pulled Ferhi in favor of an extra skater, Quinnipiac sealed the win as Brian Herbert scooped up a loose puck and scored an empty-net goal from just outside the red line at 19:09. Breen then finished out the scoring with his second goal of the night, and seventh of the season, 20 seconds later.
Ferhi made 37 saves for the Pioneers.
