University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
0-1-0, 0-1-0HE
Maine
1-0-0, 1-0-0HE
Huskies Drop Opener at Maine, 4-3, in Overtime
10/6/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
ORONO, Maine - UConn senior Jeff Wight (Coquitlam, British Columbia) scored with 15.9 seconds left in the third period to force overtime but Maine's Nolan Vesey came-up with the game-winner just 28 seconds into the extra session to give the Black Bears a 4-3 Hockey East win in the season opener for both clubs Friday evening.
The Huskies were down 2-1 after the first and 3-2 after the second before Wight's late period heroics. The Black Bears were called for a too-many men on the ice penalty with 1:57 left in the third and UConn pulled the goaltender with a minute to go to set-up a 6-on-4. Junior Karl El-Mir (Montreal, Quebec) got a shot off from the slot and the rebound kicked to a charging Wight who put the rebound in to tie it, 3-3.
In the extra session, Vesey caught a loose puck off the boards at mid ice and carried in up the left wing. The senior beat Huska short-side off the pipe for the game-winner just 28 seconds into the overtime.
For UConn, senior Kasperi Ojantakanen (Helsinki, Finland) and sophomore Benjamin Freeman (Falmouth, Maine) each scored a goal and had an assist in the loss. The Huskies finished with a 38-33 edge on shots and where 1-for-6 on the power play. Sophomore Adam Huska (Zvolen, Slovakia) made 29 saves in the loss.
Maine got goals from Tim Doherty, Rob Michel and Peter Housakos during regulation. The Black Bears were 1-for-5 on the power play and got 35 saves from junior goaltender Rob McGovern.
1st period:
Maine put the first goal of the night on the board at 5:05, capitalizing on a UConn turnover in their zone. Doherty picked-up the puck along the half boards and had a chance at a two-on-one. The Huskies took away the pass but Doherty buried a shot, short side for a 1-0 lead.
Coach Cav talks about the 4-3 overtime loss at Maine Friday night #IceBus pic.twitter.com/rmkFn9ue5B
- UConn Men's Hockey (@UConnMHOC) October 7, 2017
The Huskies knotted the game at 1-1 at 10:12. Just as a power play chance expired, the Huskies kept possession of the puck in the zone and Freeman fed senior Johnny Austin (St. Louis Park, Minn.) in the high slot. Austin dished to a waiting Ojantakanen in the circle who buried a one-timer.
The Black Bears converted on their second power play chance of the period, scoring at 14:21 to take the lead back. Michel took a feed from Mitchell Fossier at the top of the right circle and waited out the UConn defense, picking his spot before burying one top-shelf, far side for a 2-1 lead.
2nd period:
The Huskies needed just 1:15 to pull even with the Black Bears. Ojantakanen dug the puck out of the corner and fed senior Spencer Naas (Minnetonka, Minn.) behind the net, who quickly dished to Freeman in front who buried past McGovern.
Maine answered at 12:53 with Housakos beating Huska, five-hole, coming off an odd-man rush. The Huskies thought they had the tying goal less than a minute later but a video review kept the score 3-2 Maine. Naas picked a puck up off the right boards and carried into the zone, feeding a charging Ojantakanen on the right wing. Ojantakanen chipped a shot on McGovern before crashing into the goaltender and net, with the puck going in. The play was called a no goal on the ice and then confirmed on video review.
3rd period:
UConn got a good chance at a tying goal with 7:30 left as Freeman broke loose for a break-away chance. McGovern made the stop and the rebound was just out of reach of a trailing Naas.
The Huskies got a power play with 1:57 left in the third and after pulling Huska with one minute left found the equalizer in the closing seconds. El-Mir corralled a loose puck and carried into the slot, firing on net. McGovern made the stop but Wight crashed the net and cleaned up the rebound for the tying goal at 15.9 seconds.
OT:
Maine's Vesey came down the left wing on the rush and put home the game-winner, beating Huska to the short side for a 4-3 opening night win.
Jeff Wight talks about the loss and his late 3rd period tying goal #IceBus pic.twitter.com/4sEuaZveg0
- UConn Men's Hockey (@UConnMHOC) October 7, 2017
Notes:
The Black Bears take a slight edge in the all-time series, 4-3-3, with Friday's win. This was UConn's first loss at Alfond Arena as a member of Hockey East and their first dating back to a 10-4 decision in the 1978-79 season. Since joining Hockey East, the Huskies are 2-1-1 at Alfond Arena.
Wight returned to the Husky line-up for the first time since at Quinnipiac (Oct. 19, 2016) last season. He missed all but two games last year with an injury. His goal ended a streak of 14 games played since his last goal (vs. Merrimack, 12/11/15).
Ojantakanen recorded his fifth career multi-point game while Freeman had his second.
