AMHERST, Mass. – Sophomore Aydar Suniev scored his second extra attacker goal of the season with 17 second to play in regulation and No. 15 Massachusetts hockey went on to win an eight-round shootout, 2-1, over UConn in a sold out Mullins Center on Friday night. The tie brings the Minutemen to 3-2-1 overall and 0-0-1 in Hockey East play, while the Huskies sit at 3-2-1 and 0-1-1 in league action.
“As the last few minutes were winding down, all I could think to myself was ‘I thought we deserved better than this tonight’,” said UMass head coach Greg Carvel. “I really liked our game for 60 minutes. Things I don’t like is that we still have an experienced defensive group that allows breakaways and odd-man rushes, and they’re just too offensive-minded. We’ve got to get them dialed in and prevent the high-end chances that we gave up tonight. I felt like the only thing UConn had tonight was breakdowns or poor puck management by us. But I’m really proud of the kids. We played a good 60 minutes and we found a way again to pull the goalie and score. So very proud of the kids. Full house. Found a way to send everybody home happy.”
UConn jumped out to an early lead when Joey Muldowney won a puck battle along the boards in the UMass zone and fed Jake Richard, who found Ethan Whitcomb stationed at the top of the crease for a redirection past Michael Hrabal at the 3:31 mark.
The Minutemen tied the score at one 8:57 into the period as Lucas Mercuri sent a pass from behind the net out to the left point that Francesco Dell’Elce hammered home for his third goal in the past two games.
UConn regained the lead before the intermission, however. Catching UMass in a line change, Kai Janviriya‘s outlet pass sent Kaden Shahan off to the races on a breakaway that he finished off for the Huskies’ second of the night.
Junior Cole O’Hara leveled things at 2-2 for the Minutemen at the 17:07 mark of the second period. Sophomore Jack Musa swatted down a puck in the air and sent a pass to O’Hara in the slot for a one-timer that beat netminder Tyler Muszelik.
It appeared UMass took the lead moments later as a shot from Finn Loftus at the right point found its way through traffic, but the play was immediately waived off on the ice for goaltender interference.
In the final minute of the frame, the Huskies pulled back in front, 3-2. Tristan Fraser capitalized on a turnover by the Minutemen and found Ryan Tattle out in front of Hrabal for the finish at 19:09.
With Hrabal pulled for an extra attacker, Suniev put back a rebound from Lucas Olvestad after Kenny Connors knocked down the puck at the 19:43 mark of the third for the equalizer to force overtime.
After neither team could solve the goaltenders in OT, the teams went to a shootout to decide the extra point for the Hockey East standings. Opening shooters Shahan and Dans Locmelis both converted before it took seven additional rounds for another puck to cross the goal line. After Hrabal stopped Jake Percival’s attempt for his seventh straight save, Mercuri scored on Muszelik for the deciding tally.
UMass finished the night with a 33-23 advantage in shots. Hrabal made 20 saves and Muszelik totaled 30 stops.
The teams will be back in action tomorrow night in Storrs, Connecticut. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
