University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
9-10-4, 6-7-2HEA
Northeastern
13-7-2, 8-5-1HEA
UConn’s Freeman Delivers OT Win at Northeastern
1/18/2020 7:14:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
BOSTON, Mass. – UConn senior Benjamin Freeman (Falmouth, Maine) scored the game-winning goal in overtime to deliver the Huskies a 3-2 upset win over No. 12 nationally ranked Northeastern Saturday afternoon in a Hockey East match-up.
The Huskies got a power play chance with 2:22 left in overtime and Freeman delivered, putting home a rebound at 3:11 to win it. UConn grabs their second-straight win and improves to 9-10-4 overall and 6-7-2 in Hockey East. Northeastern drops to 13-8-2 overall and 7-6-1 in league.
UConn freshman Vladislav Firstov (Yaroslavl, Russia) scored two goals for the Huskies, his second multi-goal game this season and his eighth and ninth on the year. Northeastern's Grant Jozefek posted a pair of goals of his own, both coming in the second period.
Both UConn and Northeastern goaltenders were big factors on Saturday, especially in the third period. Sophomore Tomas Vomacka (Trutnov, Czech Republic) stopped 35 shots to earn the win. NU's Craig Pantano stopped a season-high 41 shots.
UConn OT GOAL!!!!!!!! Freeman bangs home the rebound and sends the #IceBus home with 2 #HEA points!!!! pic.twitter.com/sLVcOnomsY
— UConn Men's Hockey (@UConnMHOC) January 18, 2020
1st Period:
UConn took an early lead on a breakaway chance just 1:29 into the game. Winning a battle behind their own net, freshman Harrison Rees (Oakville, Ontario) riffled a pass up mid ice to a streaking Firstov who beat Northeastern for a one-on-one with Pantano and he beat the netminder to the glove side for his eighth on the year.
A penalty filled first period ended with UConn's Jachym Kondelik (Budejovice, Czech Republic) and NU's Riley Hughes getting matching majors and game misconducts; Kondelik for boarding and Riley for grabbing the facemask at 18:46.
UConn GOALLLLL!!! Huskies get the early break-away chance and Vladislav Firstov buries it for his 8th on the season. #IceBus with a 1-0 lead just 1:29 in. pic.twitter.com/qVGbsQZv2w
— UConn Men's Hockey (@UConnMHOC) January 18, 2020
2nd Period:
Northeastern tied the game up at 1-1 at the 5:42 mark of the second. After taking a big hit, Jozefek got back into the play and took a cross ice feed from Aidan McDonough in the right circle, burying a one-time chance for his fifth on the season.
Jozefek gave his team a 2-1 lead at 12:37 with his second on the night. Jozefek worked his way to the front of the net and was there to get a redirect on a feed from Mike Kesselring who threw it on net from the right circle.
Firstov answered with his second of the night to knot the game up at 2-2 at the 16:58 mark. Sophomore Ruslan Iskhakov (Moscow, Russia) left the puck for senior Wyatt Newpower (Hugo, Minn.) along the right half boards and the d-man worked the puck down low before hitting Firstov alone in the slot area where he buried it.
3rd Period:
Both Vomacka and Patano stood tall in the third period, keeping the game tied and headed to overtime. Patano stopped 13 shots while VOmacka turned away 11 in the final 20 minutes.
OT:
The Huskies drew a penalty with 2:22 left in the extra session and Freeman delivered the game-winner on the power play. Freshman Jake Flynn (Bridgewater, Mass.) took a shot from the high right circle and the rebound found Freeman at the left post and he buried it for the 3-2 win.
Coach Cav on tonight's 3-2 OT win at Northeastern#IceBus pic.twitter.com/TcKDSujYhX
— UConn Men's Hockey (@UConnMHOC) January 19, 2020
Up Next:
UConn will take part in the inaugural Connecticut Ice Festival next weekend at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport. The Huskies will face Quinnipiac in the opening game on Saturday, January 25 and either Sacred Heart or Yale on Sunday, January 26.
