University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Providence
Huskies Set to Face No. 12 Providence This Weekend
11/21/2019 3:02:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
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Ice Chips
The UConn Huskies will take on the No. 12 nationally ranked Providence Friars in a home-and-home Hockey East series this weekend. The Friars will come to the XL Center on Friday night and the Huskies head to Schneider Arena on Saturday night.
The Huskies and Friars have met 10 times since UConn made the jump to Hockey East in 2014-15. Providence swept the season series last year and is 8-1-1 against the Huskies during that stretch, including 4-0-1 at the XL Center. The two teams will meet a third time this year when Providence hosts the Huskies for a second time on January 11.
The Huskies are coming off a three-point weekend against then No. 12 ranked UMass Lowell last weekend where they battled to a 3-3 tie at home and went on the road for a 2-1 upset win.
UConn hits a stretch where they will play five of their last six games before the holiday break at home in the XL Center.
UConn senior Wyatt Newpower was tabbed the Hockey East Player of the Week after posting three points (1g/2a) in last weekend's series with UMass Lowell. Newpower had a pair of assists, his sixth career multi-point game, in Friday's tie and scored his first goal of the season in Saturday's 2-1 road win. It is the first league award for Newpower.
After starting the year 1-for-22 on the power play in eight games, the Huskies doubled their total last weekend, scoring twice with the man-advantage in Friday's tie. Senior Alexander Payusov scored his first goal of the season on Friday night, ending a nine-game scoring drought. Payusov was the Huskies leading goal scorer last season with 14 goals. Sophomore Kale Howarth has two of the Huskies' three power play goals this season.
UConn has been one of the least penalized teams in Hockey East and the nation early in the season, averaging just 8.20 penalty minutes per game. They rank 51st among 60 teams in fewest penalty minutes per game.
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 12 goal scorers thus far, nine are either a freshmen or sophomores, and the two classes have combined for 43 of the team's 63 total points (18/25a) through 10 games.
Sophomore goaltender Tomas Vomacka made 29 saves, 15 in the third period, to help beat ranked UMass Lowell, 2-1. Vomacka hit the 40-save mark for the second time this season when he stopped 41 in a home 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. Providence
Oct. 19, 2018 - L, 7-2 - At Schneider Arena
The UConn men's hockey team got a pair of power play goals from senior Karl El-Mir and junior Alexander Payusov but seven different Friars found the back of the net as No. 5 nationally ranked Providence posted a 7-2 win at Schneider Arena in the Hockey East opener for both clubs. After leading 1-0 into the first break, Providence put three on the board in both the second and third periods and finished 3-of-4 on the power play in the win. UConn went 2-for-8 on the power play, with El-Mir's second period goal pulling UConn to within 2-1. Payusov opened the third period with a power play goal and pulled the Huskies to within 4-2 before the Friars scored three-straight to close it out. Providence held a 39-26 advantage on the shot chart with UConn goaltender Adam Huska making 32 saves in the loss. PC netminder Hayden Hawkey turned in 24 saves to earn the win.
Feb. 26, 2019 - L, 5-2 - at XL Center
The No. 8 ranked Providence Friars got a hat trick from junior Josh Wilkins on the way to dealing the UConn Huskies a 5-2 loss at the XL Center. The Friars scored three unanswered goals in the third period to break open the game. UConn jumped up 1-0 early on a breakaway goal from freshman Jonny Evans but Providence answered with a pair in the first from Wilkins and Kasper Bjorkqvist. The Huskies tied it up in the second period as freshman Kale Howarth scored on the power play. Wilkins led the charge in the third period, scoring twice to complete his first career hat trick. Senior goaltender Hayden Hawkey made 14 saves to collect his 20th win on the year. The Friars held a 32-16 edge on shots. UConn junior goaltender Adam Huska stopped 27 shots in taking the loss
Last Time Out...
- The UConn Huskies took three of four points in a weekend series with No. 12 nationally ranked UMass Lowell last week. The two teams skated to a 3-3 tie at the XL Center on Friday night and the Huskies then when on the road to Lowell and nabbed a 2-1 upset win over the River Hawks, dealing them their first Hockey East loss of the season.
- On Friday night, the Huskies allowed just 15 shots on goal and got a pair of power play goals in the 3-3 tie. The Huskies finished the night 2-for-4 on the power play, getting extra man goals from senior Alexander Payusov and sophomore Kale Howarth. Sophomore Marc Gatcomb chipped in with his third on the season to round out the UConn scoring.
- Senior Wyatt Newpower finished with a pair of assists while sophomore goaltender Tomas Vomacka needed to stop just 12 shots on the night.
- On Saturday night, UConn got goals from senior Wyatt Newpower and junior Brian Rigali and a 29 save night from sophomore Tomas Vomacka to grab a 2-1 win at Tsongas Arena.
- Defensively, the Huskies were locked in on Saturday night keeping UMass Lowell off the board until late in the third while blocking 24 shots.
- UML had a 30-28 edge on shots while goaltender Tyler Wall made 26 saves.
