University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Miami
Huskies Host Miami for Weekend Series
11/27/2019 11:07:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
| TV | CW20 (Saturday) |
| RADIO | (Friday) UConn Sports Network from Learfield IMG College (ESPN 97.9 FM; WILI 1400 AM/95.3 FM) |
| VIDEO STREAM | CBS All-Access (Fri. & Sat.) |
| AUDIO | TuneIn.com (Fri.) |
| @UConnMHOC #IceBus #BleedBlue | |
| GAME NOTES | UConn Game Notes Miami Game Notes |
Ice Chips…
The UConn Huskies will welcome Miami University to the XL Center for a pair of post-Thanksgiving non-conference games this weekend. Saturday's game will be broadcast throughout Connecticut on CW20.
The Huskies and RedHawks meet on the ice for the first time since the 2017-18 season when Miami took two from UConn on their home ice.
This weeks two games will be the seventh and eighth match-ups for UConn against a team from the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC). The Huskies are 1-5-0 against the league and lost to Western Michigan, 5-1, in their last meeting with a team from the league, last season.
The Huskies are coming off a Hockey East series with nationally ranked Providence last weekend. The Huskies battled the Friars to a 3-3 tie at home in the XL Center but fell 5-2 on the road.
UConn sophomore Carter Turnbull had a three-point weekend and recorded his first career multi-point game with two goals in the 3-3 tie. Senior Benjamin Freeman scored in both games against Providence, his first goals on the season.
Freshman defenseman Yan Kuznetsov had his second multi-point game of the season with two assists last Friday night. He added another in Saturday's loss and is currently riding a four-game point streak.
UConn has had balanced scoring with nine different players scoring at least two goals or more on the season. Three Huskies, Jachym Kondelik (4g/3a), Alexander Payusov (2g/5a) and Yan Kuzentsov (1g/6a) share the team lead with seven points apiece.
Sophomore goaltender Tomas Vomacka stopped 36 shots on Friday night against the Friars and 37 on Saturday on the road. Freshman goaltender Ryan Keane saw his first collegiate action in Saturday's loss, logging just over nine minute and stopping three shots.
UConn has been one of the least penalized teams in Hockey East and the nation early in the season, averaging just 9.6 penalty minutes per game. They rank 47th among 60 teams in the NCAA and ninth in Hockey East 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 13 goal scorers thus far, nine are either a freshmen or sophomores, and the two classes have combined for 53 of the team's 76 total points (20/33a) through 12 games.
Last Meeting with Miami
Oct. 27-28, 2017 - L, 3-0; 7-1 - At Goggin Ice Center
UConn was swept in a weekend series at Miami, falling 3-0 and 7-1 to the RedHawks in the first ever meetings between the two schools during the 2017-18 season. In game one, the RedHawks built a 3-0 lead in the first period and then needed just 19 saves from goaltender Ryan Larkin to grab the shutout win. Miami senior defenseman Scott Dornbrock finished with a goal and an assist on the night. Sophomore Carson Meyer scored what proved to be the game-winner, just 3:52 into the game.
In the weekend finale, the Huskies fell behind 2-0 after the first period but a late second period shorthanded goal from freshman Adam Karashik cut the lead in half heading into the third. Miami wasted little time taking control in the third, scoring the first of five goals in the period just 1:25 in. The RedHawks got two goals and an assist from senior defenseman Louie Belpedio while Gordie Green chipped in a goal and two helpers. Miami outshot the Huskies 44-18 in the win and finished the night 4-of-7 on the power play. Junior Kiefer Sherwood tacked on a power play goal and added an assist. In goal, Larkin stopped 17 shots to earn the win for the second-straight night. UConn's Adam Huska made 28 saves before being pulled in the third for Tanner Creel who made nine saves in relief.
Huskies vs. the NCHC...
- The Huskies are 1-4-0 when facing teams from the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, which began play in 2013-14
- The Huskies have faced Colorado College (0-1-0), Miami (0-2-0), St. Cloud State (1-0-0) and Western Michigan (0-1-0). UConn previously faced Omaha (0-1-0) when they were a member of the former CCHA.
- Last season, UConn lost to Western Michigan, 5-1, at the Ice Vegas Invitational in Las Vegas.
- In 2016-17, the Huskies knocked off then No. 18 St. Cloud State on the way to winning the Desert Hockey Classic in Prescott Valley, Ariz.
- The Huskies have never met Denver, Minnesota Duluth, or North Dakota.
Last Time Out...
- The Huskies faced the No. 12 Providence Friars last weekend, earning a 3-3 tie at home in the XL Center and falling 5-2 on the road. UConn sophomore Carter Turnbull (2g/1a) and freshman Yan Kuznetsov (3a) each had a three-point weekend while senior Benjamin Freeman scored a goal in each game.
- On Friday night at home, Turnbull put a pair in the back of the net and classmate Tomas Vomacka made 36 saves as the Huskies battled their way to a 3-3 tie. Vomacka turned in 15 of his 36 saves in the third period to keep the game knotted up and added two more in the extra session.
- Providence got a goal and an assist from Tyce Thompson as well as goals by Jason O'Neil and Jack Dugan while goaltender Michael Lackey made 28 saves for the Friars.
- On Saturday night, five different Friars posted goals as Providence took three points on the weekend with a 5-2 win at home. UConn got goals from seniors Alexander Payusov and Benjamin Freeman in the loss.
- For PC, both Patrick Moynihan and Craig Needham both scored a goal and had an assist while Jack Dugan chipped in a pair of assists.
- Vomacka made 37 saves before departing in the third period. Freshman Ryan Keane made his collegiate debut and made three stops.
