University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
American International
Huskies Sweep AIC With 4-1 Victory
11/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 7, 2009
STORRS, Conn. - A couple of power play goals in the second period helped the University of Connecticut men's hockey team to their second-straight win as they swept American International in their home opening weekend. Four different Huskies scored in the 4-1 victory, three of which tallied their first goal of the season.
Freshman goaltender Jeff Larson (Ballwin, Mo.) finished the night with just one goal allowed making 22 saves. Jake Anderson finished with 23 saves for AIC allowing UConn's four goals.
This is the second straight year that the Huskies have swept their first weekend series of the season as they took two from Army last year defeating the Black Knights 4-3 and 6-3.
The Huskies got on the board first for the second-straight night against AIC. This time, rookie Jim Gallagher (Marquette, Mich.) put the Huskies on top at 4:28 in the first with some help from his linemate Sean Ambrosie (Moorhead, Minn.). Ambrosie gathered the puck behind the goal and dished a pass to Gallagher at the top of the right faceoff circle. Gallagher fired a laser shot at the goal to earn the first goal of his collegiate career and put the Huskies on the board.
AIC was able to even things out before the end of the first period when Mike McMillan earned his third goal of the season on a power play opportunity. Junior Stevie Bergin (Groton, Mass.) was called for interference and five seconds after the penalty box closed, the Yellow Jackets took advantage of the man-up opportunity scoring the equalizer.
In the second period, Larson got the crowd on their feet making a couple of gamechanging stops. Steve Mele stole the puck from the Huskies at the blue line and was all alone with Larson. The rookie laid out and stopped Mele's shot with his stick. Tom Mele gathered the rebound and had a chance at a point blank opportunity but Larson again made the save to keep the game knotted at one.
The Huskies received a huge break when Steve McLeod earned a five-minute hitting from behind major penalty. McLeod was ejected from the game while the Huskies capitalized on their advantage scoring two goals in a minutes time.
First, sophomore Marcello Ranallo (Burnaby, B.C.) gave the Huskies the lead when he recorded his first goal of the season. Ranallo scooped the puck and skated down the ice to record the unassisted goal at 10:54 in the second period.
Just a minute later, freshman Alex Gerke (Tomah, Wisc.) pushed the Huskies lead to two when he recorded his second goal of the season at 11:53, and second of the weekend. Gerke's goal came from between the two playoff circles and was helped out by junior Andrew Olson (Alexandria, Minn.) and Ambrosie, who got his second assist of the night.
UConn added one final goal at the tail end of the third when junior Matt Turner (Colorado Springs, Colo.) slapped in an open net goal with 17 seconds remaining in the game. Senior Captain Michael Coppola (Old Brookville, N.Y.) started the breakaway for the Huskies but was tripped up by some AIC defenders, Turner followed Coppola down the ice, gathered the puck and put in into the net to seal the victory for the Huskies.
The Huskies are back in action next weekend when they travel to Buffalo, N.Y. where they will take on the Griffs of Canisius. The weekend slate is a little different as the two teams will meet Saturday and Sunday at 3:05 p.m.
