Bobcats Back In Action
The Quinnipiac women's ice hockey team (13-7-1) (9-2-1 ECAC Hockey) returns to the ice this upcoming weekend when it hosts its first two games of the 2012 calendar year on Friday, Jan. 6 against Dartmouth (7-5-1) (4-3-1 ECAC Hockey) and Saturday, Jan. 7 against No. 9/10 Harvard (9-4-0) (6-2-0 ECAC Hockey). Friday's game against the Big Green will begin at 7 p.m., while Saturday's contest against Harvard is set for a 4 p.m. start. 

Multimedia
Live stats, audio and video for this weekend's games can be accessed by visiting the Official Website of Quinnipiac Athletics,www.QuinnipiacBobcats.com.

About Dartmouth
In their last contest on Tuesday, Jan 3., Dartmouth defeated Vermont, 5-2. Freshman Sam Zeiss, sophomore Ali Winkel, senior Regan Fischer, senior Jenna Hobeika and junior Camille Dumais each netted a goal for the Big Green in victory. Overall, senior Kelly Foley leads the team with 15 points (10 goals, five assists), followed by junior Camille Dumais' 14 points (five goals, nine assists) and Fischer's 11 points (three goals, eight assists). Sophomore goaltender Lindsay Holdcroft has accumulated a .921 save percentage to go along with a 2.10 goals against average on the season. 

All-Time Against The Big Green
Friday's game will be the 13^th time the two sides face each other. Despite Dartmouth's 7-3-2 all-time series lead, Quinnipiac has won three of the last four contests, which includes a 4-0 shutout victory in the team's last meeting on February 4, 2011. Freshman forward Kelly Babstock (Mississauga, Ontario) netted two goals, while sophomore defender Felica Vieweg (Port Orange, Fla.) and junior forward Kate Wheeler (Oakville, Ontario) each tallied one goal in the win. Sophomore goaltender Victoria Vigilanti (Woodbridge, Ontario) turned away 35 shots (19 in the third period) to earn her seventh shutout of the season. 

About Harvard
Harvard is coming off its fourth-straight victory following an 8-1 win over Connecticut on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Junior Kaitlin Spurling, junior Jillian Dempsey and sophomore Lyndsey Fry led the offensive attack with three points apiece on the evening, as six different Crimson skaters scored a goal. Overall, Dempsey leads the team with 19 points (10 goals, nine assists), as Fry sits in second with 16 points (nine goals, seven assists). Sophomore Marissa Gedman and junior Josephine Pucci are tied for third on the squad (first among defenders) with 11 points each. Junior goaltender Laura Bellamy has accumulated a .919 save percentage and a 2.00 goals against average on the season. 

All-Time Against The Crimson
Saturday's contest will be the 13^th time the two teams oppose each other on the ice. The Bobcats have won two of the last three games, as the team's split last year's season series, 1-1. In their first meeting on November 13, 2010, Quinnipiac skated to a 4-1 victory over then ranked No. 10 Harvard. Freshman forward Kelly Babstock recorded her first-career hat trick in the contest, while junior Chelsea Illchuk (Lockport, Manitoba) added the team's first score of the game.

Harvard came away with a 3-2 victory in the second meeting of the season on February 5, 2011. Freshman Amanda Colin (Burnsville, Minn.) and Babstock each recorded a goal for Quinnipiac, while sophomore netminder Victoria Vigilanti turned away a game-high 41 shots. 

Last Time Out
Quinnipiac is coming off its season-high seventh consecutive victory, as it defeated Princeton 3-0 in its last game before winter break on Saturday, Dec. 10 at High Point Solutions Arena. The win was also the second consecutive shutout of the weekend for the Bobcats, as the squad defeated Princeton 1-0 on Friday, Dec. 9 at Hobey Baker Rink. In Friday's game, senior defender Melissa Perry(Champion, Mich.) was the hero on the evening, netting her first goal of the season in the second period of play. Saturday's contest saw Quinnipiac receive goals from juniors Regan Boulton (Brandon, Manitoba), Brittany Lyons (Canton, Mass.) and Breann Frykas (East St. Paul, Manitoba). 

What A Month
For her efforts during the month of December, which included three shutouts in three starts, Victoria Vigilanti was named ECAC Hockey/Fischer-Hockey Player and Goaltender of the Month. The junior netminder was also honored as Quinnipiac University Female Athlete of the Month, marking the third time in her career she has earned the honor. 

ECAC Hockey Goalie Of The Week
Vigilanti was a perfect 47-of-47 between the pipes for the Bobcats in the final weekend before winter break against Princeton, helping earn her Goaltender of the Week honors for the second time this season. Vigilanti, who now has 11-career Goaltender of the Week selections, currently leads all NCAA Division I Women's Ice Hockey goalies with six shutouts on the season. The junior is also currently in a four-way tie for sixth place all-time among NCAA Division I Women's Ice Hockey goaltenders with 20 career shutout victories. 

Seven Up, Seven Down
The Bobcats' current seven game winning streak, dating back to Tuesday, Nov. 22 against Boston College, is now the longest winning streak in program history. Quinnipiac held a six-game winning streak each of the previous two seasons. The Bobcats trail only Wisconsin (14 consecutive victories) for the longest current unbeaten streak in the nation. 

Number One Spot
With four points in the final weekend before winter break, Quinnipiac retained sole possession of first place in ECAC Hockey heading into the new year. Quinnipiac, which matched its program-best with 13 wins before the break, plays eight of its final 12 games on its home ice. 

Perfect December
Quinnipiac finished the month of December with an unblemished 4-0 record, allowing only two goals (both against Yale), while earning three shutout victories. The Bobcats are one of the hottest teams in the country, as they have a 12-2-1 record in their last 15 games played. 

There's A Trend
With Saturday's win over Princeton, Quinnipiac improved its season mark to 10-2-1 when it outshoots its opponent. 

Three Spot
Quinnipiac is now 6-1 this season when it scores exactly three goals in a game. 

Coming On Strong
The Bobcats hold a 6-1-1 record when the score is tied after the first period, and are an impressive 11-2-0 when leading after the second stanza. 

Game-Winner
Melissa Perry notched her first goal of the season on Friday, Dec. 9 against Princeton, marking her first-career game-winning score. Among Quinnipiac defenders, Perry now ranks tied for second in points, with seven (one goal, six assists). 

Wheels Rolling
Senior forward Kate Wheeler matched her season-high total of two assists in Quinnipiac's win over Princeton on Saturday, Dec. 10. Wheeler now has 35 career helpers, ranking her tied for sixth place all-time in program history. 

A Boulton Of Lighting
Junior defender Regan Boulton tallied her first-career game-winning goal on Saturday, Dec. 10 against Princeton. She currently leads all defenders on the team with nine points on four goals and five assists. 

Neck And Neck
Mississauga natives Kelly Babstock and Nicole Kosta, who are tied for the team-lead with 13 assists on the season, are tied for third place among all ECAC Hockey skaters in assists. Overall, Babstock ranks in second place among all ECAC Hockey skaters with 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists), while Kosta ranks third in the league among all rookie skaters with 16 points (three goals, 13 assists).

Contact: Ross Bennett, rsbennett@quinnipiac.edu