Quinnipiac University forward Bryan Leitch (Merritt Centennials/BCHL) earned Tournament Most Valuable Player honours as the Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey team upset NCAA #11-ranked Air Force 4-2 in the Championship Game of the Toyota UConn Hockey Classic.
Leitch led all scorers with five assists over the course of the tournament, including three in the Championship Game. Over two games, Leitch had a hand in five of Quinnipiac’s eight goals, including the pass that set up Brandon Wong (Merritt Centennials/BCHL) for the game-winner in the Bobcats’ 4-3 win over Merrimack on Monday.
“Bryan played great tonight,” Bobcats assistant coach Ben Syer said after the tournament final. “What I think he did well was his back-check. His offense generally takes care of itself, but he committed to his defensive play tonight and it showed.”
Quinnipiac took a 1-0 lead just before the end of the first period when Leitch spun and fed Eric Lampe streaking up the middle of the ice towards the net. The assist was Leitch’s 20th of the season.
The team took a 2-0 lead at the 12:25 mark when Wong passed through the Air Force defense to Leitch, who was waiting to the left of the Falcons’ goal. Leitch hooked up with David Marshall, who faked to the right, cut across the crease and scored to give the Bobcats a two-goal lead. To cap his big night, Leitch assisted on Lampe's second of the game.
Leitch, Wong and the rest of the Bobcats return to the ice on Friday when they face Harvard on home ice on Friday.
