University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn Upsets Holy Cross, Advances to Semifinals
3/9/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
WORCESTER, MA (March 9) – Kurt Kamienski (Pittsfield, MA) scored the game-winning goal to lift the No. 6 seed University of Connecticut men’s ice hockey team past the No. 3 College of the Holy Cross, 6-5, in quarterfinal action of the 2002 Easton/MAAC Championship on Saturday evening in Worcester, MA.
UConn (13-15-7, 11-10-5) now advances to the semifinals for the third time in MAAC Championship history. Holy Cross ends the season with a record of 17-11-5 overall, 14-7-5 in the MAAC.
Holy Cross began the day’s scoring just over a minute into regulation on a shot from Pat Rissmiller. Connecticut evened the score at the 8:49 mark during a power play opportunity. Ron D’Angelo (Massapequa, NY) waited patiently in front of the Holy Cross goal and knocked in a rebounded shot into the top shelf of the goal. Both Jon Ames (Baldwinsville, NY) and Eric Nelson (Big Lake, MN) took the initial shots to setup the goal. Matt Grew (Yarmouthport, MA) put the Huskies ahead four-minutes later. Grew received an up ice pass from D’Angelo, and rushed in from the right side netting the wrist-shot to the far post. Kamienski also assisted on the goal.
The second period belonged to the Huskies, scoring three goals. Taking a shot from the left face-off circle, Beau McLaughin (Virginia Beach, VA) took advantage of Holy Cross goalie Derek Cunha, who was screened by several players in the crease. The puck slipped through the five-hole to give Connecticut the two-goal advantage. Mark Murphy (Jamestown, RI) and DJ Miller (Mount Lebanon, PA) assisted on the goal. At the 11:11 mark, Holy Cross just finished killing-off a penalty, when Evan Schwarz (Shaker Heights, OH) poked in a rebounded shot from defenseman Adam Rhein (Cottage Grove, MN). Matt Herhal (Pottstown, PA) was also credited with an assist. Nelson scored Connecticut’s last goal at the 18:16 mark of the middle period, his first of the season. He took a shot from the right point and it deflected in off the elbow of a Holy Cross defenseman.
Holy Cross made a third period surge trying to regain its early lead in the game, out shooting Connecticut 21-5. Jeff Dams cut the score to 5-2 at the 1:14 mark of the stanza. Then, during a Husky penalty, Brandon Doria notched Holy Cross’ third goal of the afternoon. Cutting the scoring deficit to one, Rissmiller took a slap shot from just inside the blueline to the far post raising the score to 5-4. Greg Kealey evened the score with 3:01 remaining in regulation on a shot that hit the far inside of the net. Connecticut prevailed in the end when Kamienski scored the game-winner with 21-seconds left in regulation. After Holy Cross miscleared the puck, Kamienski took a slapshot from outside the face-off circle that blanked Cunha. D’Angelo and Grew helped in the winning effort.
Artie Imbriano (Stoneham, MA) stopped 39 shots, while Cunha recorded 28 saves in goal. Holy Cross out shot UConn, 44-34.
Connecticut will play the No. 1 seed Mercyhurst College in a semifinal game of the 2002 Easton/MAAC Championship on Thursday, March 14 at 4:00 pm.
