University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
UMass Lowell
Huskies Take on No. 12 UMass Lowell this Weekend
11/14/2019 11:08:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
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Ice Chips
The UConn Huskies are home Friday night to open a home and home Hockey East series with the No. 12/13 nationally ranked UMass Lowell River Hawks. The Huskies hit the ice at the XL Center Friday night at 7:05 pm and head to the Tsongas Center for a 6 pm Saturday night match-up.
The Huskies and River Hawks have met 11 times since UConn's first season in Hockey East (2014-15). UMass Lowell holds a 6-4-1 edge in those match-ups and have won four-straight over the past two years. The two teams will meet a third time when they close the regular season in Lowell on March 6.
UConn is looking to snap a three-game skid after getting swept by Boston College last weekend, losing 6-0 on the road and 5-1 at home to the nationally ranked Eagles.Â
The Huskies are also in search of their first win at home this season (0-4-0). Six of the last eight games before the holiday break are on the XL Center ice.
The Huskies are in the midst of a 10-game run through November, their busiest month of the season. Of the 10 games on the slate, six are against teams currently ranked in the national polls and six are scheduled for their home ice at the XL Center.
UConn has been one of the least penalized teams in Hockey East and the nation early in the season, averaging just 8.50 penalty minutes in eight games.Â
On the flip side, UConn has drawn just 28 total penalties on opponents, an average of 7.0 penalty minutes per game, resulting in just 22 power play chances this season (2.75 pg). The Huskies rank 52nd (60 teams) in power plays generated per game and of teams that have played at least eight games this season, are tied with Bemidji State for last.
The Huskies have a plenty of youth on their roster in 2019-20 with 18 combined sophomores and freshmen, and that youth has powered the offense in the early going. Of the 10 goal scorers thus far, nine are either a freshmen or sophomores, and the two classes have combined for 36 of the team's 48 total points (16/20a) through seven games.
Sophomore Jachym Kondelik is the team's leading scorer with six points on four goals and two assists. His four goals already matched his season total from his rookie season.
Freshman Vladislav Firstov scored the Huskies lone goal last weekend and leads UConn rookies with five points on two goals and three assists.
Sophomore goaltender Tomas Vomacka hit the 40-save mark for the second time this season when he stopped 41 in last Saturday's loss to Boston College. Vomacka matched his career-high of 45 saves in the season-opening 3-3 tie at Sacred Heart.
Last Season vs. UMass Lowell
Nov. 16, 2018 - L, 5-2 - at XL Center
UConn freshman Ruslan Iskhakov scored early in the first period but UMass Lowell put four-straight on the board on their way to a 5-2 Hockey East win in Hartford. UConn fired a season-high 40 shots on goal but UML junior Tyler Wall turned away 38 to keep the Huskies in check. UConn also came up empty on four power play chances while UMass Lowell was 1-for-4. The River Hawks got two goals from senior Ryan Dmowski including the game-winner. After trailing 1-0 early on, UML put two on the board in both the first and second periods to grab control of the game. Sophomore Connor Sodergren dished out three assists while junior Kenny Hausinger and sophomore Charlie Levesque had two assists each. UConn senior Karl El-Mir scored shorthanded for the Huskies to pull UConn within 4-2 in the third period. Junior Adam Huska stopped 27 shots in the loss.
Nov. 17, 2018 - L, 3-0 - at Tsongas Center
The UConn Huskies held a 28-23 shot advantage and had six power play chance but came up empty falling at UMass Lowell, 3-0. For the second-straight season, the River Hawks sweep the season series from the Huskies. UMass Lowell scored twice in the first 2:17 of the game and junior goaltender Tyler Wall made it stand up, stopping all 28 shots he faced. The River Hawks got goals from junior Kenny Hausinger, freshman Reid Stefanson and junior Colin O'Neill in the win. For UConn, freshman goaltender Tomas Vomacka got the starting assignment but gave up all three goals and was relieved in the second period by junior Adam Huska who finished the game and made 13 saves. UConn was shutout for the third time by UMass Lowell since joining Hockey East in 2014-15.
Last Time Out...
- The Huskies were swept by No. 19 Boston College in a home-and-home series last weekend. The Huskies were shutout on the road, 6-0, Friday night and fell at home, 5-1 on Saturday.
- On Friday, the Huskies got 30 shots on goal but couldn't crack BC freshmen Spencer Knight who pitched his second shutout of the season. BC freshman Alex Newhook scored twice for the Eagles while senior defenseman Connor Moore had a goal and a pair of assists.
- In Saturday's loss, BC got a hat-trick from junior Aapeli Rasanen on the way to a 5-1 win.
- The Eagles fired 46 shots on goal and held the Huskies to 17, matching their season-low. BC was 2-for-4 on the power play.
- BC senior Ben Finkelstein and freshman Mike Hardman each had a goal and an assist in the win. Goaltender Knight stopped 16 shots to earn the win.
- UConn's lone goal came from freshman Vladislav Firstov who scored unassisted for his second goal of the season. Sophomore Tomas Vomacka finished the day with 41 saves, his second time this season hitting the 40-save mark.
