A bitter rivalry makes its return to Hamden for the first time in nearly two years after interruptions from COVID-19 prevented Ivy League

teams from playing last season.

After the original date was postponed during winter break, many Quinnipiac students rejoiced as they would be able to attend the school’s biggest game of the year against Yale. The People’s United Center is expected to be packed with not just students, but the local community, as well as alumni from both schools who have long shared this rivalry.

These two teams last faced off Nov. 5, with Quinnipiac handing Yale a 3-0 shutout on its own ice. Before that matchup, the most recent tilt between the two schools took place 724 days prior, which again resulted in Quinnipiac shutting out Yale at home.

With the Heroes’ Hat on the line, both teams are looking to come away with a win in the standings as well as the bragging rights that come along with it.

A historical season for Quinnipiac precedes the matchup as it enters the game as the No. 4 team in the country, backed behind a 25-3-3 record with eyes set on the Cleary Cup. Its neighbor just eight miles down the road hasn’t experienced the same type of success this year.

Despite a struggling season, the Yale Bulldogs will tune out their record and focus on a single 60-minute hockey game that matters more than any previous game this season.

Over the last 25 meetings, Quinnipiac has dominated Yale, winning 19 times and tying four additional games. The Bobcats’ last loss to the Bulldogs came in February 2018. Quinnipiac has not lost at home to Yale since February 2011.

So who will leave the People’s United Center not only victorious but with the prized possession of the Heroes’ Hat? Which team is more determined to secure it?