No. 3 Quinnipiac defeats UConn, 4-3, to win Connecticut Ice tournament for second straight year

For the second straight year, Quinnipiac can claim to be the best men’s college ice hockey program in the state, as the Bobcats captured the Connecticut Ice tournament title with a 4-3 win over UConn on Saturday in Hamden.

The Huskies (16-8-3) entered the third period leading 3-2 after goals from Justin Pearson, Samu Salminen and Hudson Schandor, but Quinnipiac (20-3-3) scored twice in the final session to win the game. Graduate student Ethan de Jong tied the game with his second goal, and graduate student defenseman Jake Johnson won it on a shot from the point with four minutes left.

The weekend tournament at M&T Bank Center in Hamden featured the four major men’s college ice hockey programs in Connecticut. Quinnipiac defeated Sacred Heart, 5-0, on Friday to advance to the title game. UConn routed Yale, 6-1, to get there.

The Bobcats beat the Huskies, 2-0, to win the title last season. Sacred Heart won the inaugural event in 2020.

Quinnipiac will return to action on Friday when they face Harvard on the road in ECAC play. UConn will face Northeastern in Hockey East action.