University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
5-6-1, 2-5-1HEA
UMass Lowell
6-5-1, 3-3-1HEA
UConn Blanked at UMass Lowell, 3-0
11/17/2018 7:22:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
LOWELL, Mass. – The UConn Huskies held a 28-23 advantage and had six power play chance but came up empty falling at UMass Lowell, 3-0, Saturday night in a Hockey East match-up. For the second-straight season, the River Hawks sweep the season series from the Huskies.
The Huskies drop to 5-6-1 overall and 2-5-1 in Hockey East with the loss while the River Hawks improve to 6-5-1 overall and even their league mark at 3-3-1.
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 Saturday night. 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 (Trutnov, Czech Republic) got the starting assignment but gave up all three goals and was relieved in the second period by junior Adam Huska (Zvolen, Slovakia) who finished the game and made 13 saves.Â
UConn was shutout for the first time since last January 12 when they fell 3-0 at Merrimack.
1st Period:
The River Hawks jumped up early and put two goals on the board in the game's first 2:17. UML's Hausinger made it 1-0 just 1:46 in, putting in an off angle shot after collecting a shot what went wide from Cale List at the point.
Just 31 seconds later the River Hawks struck again as a turnover deep in the UConn zone led to Stefanson finding a loose puck and a one-on-one chance with Vomacka and the freshman buried it stick side for a 2-0 lead.
The Huskies ended the first period having to kill off a five-minute major when freshman Kale Howarth (Red Deer, Alberta) was called for a major and game misconduct for boarding at 15:47.Â
2nd Period:
A penalty filled second period saw three power play chances for each team and the River Hawks scoring the period's only goal shorthanded. O'Neill ripped a wrist shot past Vomacka from the right circle at 8:46, his first of the season, to stake the River Hawks to a 3-0 lead. The Huskies pulled Vomacka and went to Huska following the O'Neill score.
3rd Period:
The Huskies had two more power play chances in the third period but could not put one past Wall. The Huskies used their time-out at 16:18 and pulled Huska for the extra attacker looking to spark some offense.Â
Freshman Rulsan Iskhakov (Moscow, Russia) nearly made it 3-1 off the ensuing face-off, getting a look on an open net but saw his shot rattle off the post and out. The Huskies put six shots on Wall over the final two and half minutes but the junior would not be denied the shutout win.
Up Next:
The Huskies will make the journey to Northern Ireland this coming week to take part in the Northern Irish Connections Friendship Four with Boston University, Union and Yale.
