University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
0-1-1, 0-1-1
Massachusetts
1-0-1, 1-0-1
Huskies Battle Back Against No. 7 UMass
11/21/2020 9:41:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
STORRS, Conn. – The UConn men's hockey team rallied for a pair of goals in the third period to come away with a 2-2 tie with the No. 7 Massachusetts Minutemen at the Freitas Ice Forum in Storrs. After the newly adopted 3-on-3 overtime ended scoreless, the Huskies won a four-round shootout, which may end up coming into play in the Hockey East standings.
This weekend's games were played as non-conference match-ups with the two teams scheduled to meet again in January. Due to schedule changes with the COVID-19 pandemic, should those games be impacted this weekend's results can be deemed conference match-ups, retroactively.
The Minutemen (1-0-1) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, scoring quickly on the power play on a Matthew Kessel goal just 3:25 in. Philip Lagunov made it 2-0 at the 12:40 mark but that would close out the UMass scoring for the night.
After a scoreless second, UConn (0-1-1) surged back for a pair in the third to force the overtime. Junior Carter Turnbull (Nanaimo, British Columbia) notched his first on the season at the 9:53 mark to pull within 2-1.
UMass would go on to kill off a 5-on-3 UConn power play chance but the Huskies were able to tie the game up with a shorthanded Brian Rigali (Libertyville, Ill.) goal with just 2:00 left in regulation. In the overtime, UMass looked like they had a game-winner as Connor Felix put a rebound in but the goal was waved off after review for too many men on the ice.
The game would go to a shootout, the first under Hockey East's new rules this season. UMass's Oliver Chau and UConn's Vladislav Firstov (Yaroslavl, Russia) each scored in the first round but it would take UConn's Kale Howarth (Red Deer, Alberta) who would win it in the fourth round. UConn's Tomas Vomacka (Trutnov, Czech Repbulic) made three saves in the shootout.
The Huskies held a 37-36 edge on the shot chart but were 0-for-7 on the power play. UMass finished the weekend scoring three times in the two games on the power play.
Vomack had 34 saves while UMass netminder Filip Lindberg stopped 35 shots.
1st period:
UMass got an early power play chance and took advantage taking a 1-0 lead 3:25 into the game. Bobby Trivigno picked-up his third assist on the weekend, feeding Matthew Kessel near the left post for a one-timer to beat Vomacka.
The Minutemen made it 2-0 at the 12:40 mark on Lagunov's first on the season. Garrett Wait fired on goal but saw his shot blocked with Lagunov cleaning up the loose puck and jamming it past Vomacka for what would be their final goal of the night.
2nd period:
The two teams traded 13 shots each in the second but both goaltenders were up to the task, keeping a clean sheet in the period.
3rd period:
The Huskies began their comeback at the 9:53 mark as Turnbull picked-up his first of the season. Firstov left the puck for Turnbull coming up the right wing in the zone and the junior got to the net and place a sweet backhander into the top shelf to pull withing 2-1.
After coming up short on a 5-on-3 chance, the Huskies were able to get the game even on special teams thanks to a shorthanded Rigali goal. Freshman Cassidy Bowes (Sturgeon County, Alberta) and Rigali got loose for a 2-on-1 and Rigali buried a rebound in front to pull the game even at 2-2 with two minutes left.
UConn GOAL!!!! Huskies cut it to 2-1 at 9:53 as Carter Turnbull with a pretty take to the goal and a backhander top-shelf.#IceBus pulls within a goal midway through the 3rd pic.twitter.com/OVUKRgolG7
— UConn Men's Hockey (@UConnMHOC) November 21, 2020
UConn GOAL!!! Brian Rigali with the shorty to tie it up at 2-2!#IceBus pulls even with 2 minutes left pic.twitter.com/iB88L5dXnG
— UConn Men's Hockey (@UConnMHOC) November 21, 2020
OT:
In overtime, this year using a 3-on-3 format, the Minutemen looked to have a game-winner at 3:37 when Chau put in a rebound but the goal was waved off after review for having too many men on the ice.
Here is Kale Howarth to win the very first #HEA shootout against UMass
— UConn Men's Hockey (@UConnMHOC) November 22, 2020
?? ?? pic.twitter.com/kaKxeyejHJ
Up Next:
The Huskies will host the Maine Black Bears next weekend for two-straight at the Freitas Ice Forum.
