University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
New Hampshire
Huskies Blanked on the Road at UNH, 6-0
1/26/2019 9:37:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
DURHAM, N.H. – New Hampshire sophomore goaltender Mike Robinson stopped 36 shots and six different players scored goals to deal the UConn Huskies a 6-0 loss Saturday night in the Hockey East series finale from the Whittemore Center.
The Huskies were shutout for the third time this season and fall to 7-15-2 with the loss and 2-11-2 in Hockey East. The Wildcats take three of the four points in the weekend series, moving to 9-8-8 overall and 5-5-5 in the league.
UNH got a goal and an assist on the night from both freshman Angus Crookshank and sophomore Patrick Grasso in the win. Also scoring for the Wildcats was juniors Brendan van Riemsdyk and Liam Blackburn and sophomores Charlie Kelleher and Joe Sacco.
The Huskies finished with a 36-31 shot advantage but were 0-for-4 on the power play. The Wildcats scored twice in five power play chances. Junior goaltender Adam Huska (Zvolen, Slovakia) stopped 25 shots in taking the loss.
1st Period:
The Huskies controlled much of the play in the first period, killing off an early UNH power play chance while outshooting the Wildcats 16-7.
Neither team could find the back of the net with UNH ringing a pair of shots off the post in the opening frame. UConn's Miles Gendron (Shrewsbury, Mass.) took a penalty with just 2.5 second left in the period that would prove costly to open the second.
2nd Period:
The Wildcats converted on the Gendron penalty just 1:09 into the period then struck again off the ensuing face-off to seize control of the game. UNH's Ara Nazarian put a shot on Huska from the left circle and the rebound found the stick of Kelleher in the slot who buried the rebound for a 1-0 lead, his second on the year.
Just six seconds later, the Wildcats took advantage of a UConn defensive miscue to create a two-on-one off the face-off with van Riemsdyk burying a feed from Patrick Grasso for his seventh on the season and a quick 2-0 lead.
UNH pushed their lead to 3-0 at the 4:36 mark as Blackburn scored his 10th of the season, beating the UConn defense to the front of the net to redirect a pass from Angus Crookshank past Huska.
3rd Period:
The Wildcats made it 4-0 at 6:48 of the third period, with Crookshank corralling a loose puck in the slot, wheeling and rifling one past Huska glove side for his ninth on the season. The lead hit 5-0 at 10:14 as Grasso put in a loose puck in front of the net, his sixth of the season.
UNH put their final goal on the board at 17:10, coming on the power play as Sacco buried a one-timer from a feed by Frankie Cefalu, his first career goal.
Up Next:
UConn will close out their non-conference schedule on Tuesday night playing host to state rival Sacred Heart at the XL Center. Opening face-off is slated for 7:05 pm.
