CANTLON: HUSKA LEADS UCONN PAST YALE, 3-1 

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

NEW HAVEN, CT – UConn goaltender Adam Huska’s spectacular 39 save performance helped the Huskies defeat Yale Univesity 3-1 at Ingalls Rink in New Haven in a New Year’s Eve matinee.

It’s not understating it to say that Huska won the game for UCONN.

Huska stopped the Yale offense in every way a goalie could make a save in helping the Huskies snap a seven-game losing streak. His performance matched his remarkable WJC performance for Slovakia two years ago against Canada at the Bell Centre in Montreal when he made 46 saves.

His numbers do not put him at the top of the statistical Hockey East chart, but Huska is clearly one of the top goalies in the nation. Huska won his first game since November 2^nd and was intent on ending 2018 on a winning note.

“He was great. When you see this in hockey, the New York Rangers have a good record because they have a good goalie (Henrik Lundqvist) and it’s no different when you have a Connor McDavid (of Edmonton). He’s a difference maker. The goalie is a part of the team. Adam was terrific, but it was a great team effort,” UCONN head coach, Mike Cavanaugh.

UCONN’s record now stands at 6-11-1 overall and 2-9-1 in the HEA. It was the first win against Yale, (7-4-2 overall, and 6-2-1 in the ECAC) in 13 games spanning a 47 year period. It was UConn’s first visit to Ingalls since 2011-12.

“It’s great that Miles Gendron (the team captain) came up with a slogan for our team, “Be the First,” to be a UCONN team to accomplish a lot of first things… milestones. So, that’s another first for us. We just beat an established program that won national championships,” Cavanaugh said.

The Bulldogs made every bid to tie the game and among the many highlight-reel saves Huska made was stopping Yale’s primary sniper, Joe Snively, on a breakaway with 3:25 remaining.

“That Snively line might be the best line we’ll see all year. Yale is an explosive team,” Cavanaugh said.

Huska effectively came out to challenge shooters at the top of the crease.

“I try to come out on top of the crease all the time because they are fast and really like to make some plays. I was patient waiting for him to make the move,” Huska said.

Among his 30 saves he stopped Luke Stevens, the son of former NHL’er, Kevin Stevens, five times. he also denied Justin Pearson, and Kevin O’Neil, three times each, as well as, Dante Palecco’s high re-direct midway in the third.

UCONN’s game-winning goal came from nitty, gritty work down low in the Yale end of the ice.

Brian Freeman used all of his 6‘5 frame to wheel around in front of the Yale crease and despite a rolling puck still managed to control it and slipped a backhander around the outstretched right pad of Yale’s Sam Tucker at 9:52.

“It was a real good cycle by Karl El-Mir. I was taking it to the net and some space opened up. I held on to it as long as I could. I was trying to shoot it earlier and was just able to gather the puck. It was rolling, but I was able to get it in,” Freeman said with a big smile.

Freeman had just two goals in the first half of the season and had a wonderful self-deprecating sense of humor. “I had two. Nothing flashy, not a lot of clips to choose from.“

Finishing games was a first half area of concern which Freeman acknowledged they had to address.

“We were in a lot of close games. If we really start to finish games off, I think we can get get a good streak going here and get some wins going forward.”

UCONN broke a scoreless tie in one of their few solid offensive entrances as El-Mir sprung Sasha Payusov and the righthanded shooting sophomore slipped his team leading tenth goal through Tucker’s five-hole at 7:17 of the second period.

“It was a great goal. He beat him with a backhander as well. When Sasha plays on his inside edges he’s hard to handle. He skates well and has great stick skills and leaning into the kid to beat him, great play.”

The whole ability to score all came about because of Huska’s sensational net play. Any and all superlative adjectives including spectacular, scintillating, sensational all apply.

Just prior to the goal, Philip Nyberg, on his second defensive zone turnover, this one to the Bulldogs’ Mitchell Smith, who went to the net on a quick forming two-on-one and Huska used all of his 6’4 frame and acrobatically stacked his pads and moved his right leg in the air and deflected the puck with his skate blade to deny the Yale winger.

“It was a street hockey mentality to do whatever it takes,“ Huska said with a laugh. “He was coming hard. I just reacted.”

Cavanaugh shook his head in wonderment of his own goalie. “That has to be a Sportscenter save (of the day). That was one of the best saves I’ve ever seen.”

Incredibly, the save even eclipsed one he made on Northeastern’s Lincoln Griffin earlier in the season.

Yale’s Ted Hart was stopped at 2:25 and then Dante Palecco was frustrated and banged their sticks on the ice after thinking they had a goal coming off their stick.

After Payusov’s goal, Snively was open on the right-wing side and took a cross ice pass down to one knee. Huska calmly moved laterally across to smite yet another quality chance.

Huska collected a few others earlier in the period that kept Yale off the scoring sheet.

Yale finally found a way to beat Huska when Anthony Walsh let a blast go from 35 feet out, but the green light was on and the scoreboard read zero – Period over.

The referees’ video review revealed that the goal was scored with five-tenths of a second left in the period knotting the game at one.

Each team showed rust after not playing for two weeks. Yale had the finer quality chances, but Huska started his tour-de-force and didn’t allow many second chances and stymied the Bulldogs.

NOTES:

The Huskies head to Las Vegas this coming weekend to play at the T-Mobile Arena, the home of NHL’s Las Vegas Golden Knights. They open against Western Michigan (NC), whose assistant coach is former Division II UCONN Husky, Hartford Whaler, and New Haven Nighthawk, Todd Krygier. The winner plays the either Air Force or St. Lawrence.

The Huskies then start the Hockey East portion of the schedule in two weeks. 10 of their final 14 games at home.

The Huskies John Wojciechowski made his UCONN debut playing left-wing on the fourth line.

Yale has four CT prep school players on their roster, Andrew Gaus (Taft), Tucker (Choate/ Wilton), and Evan and Mitchel Smith (Salisbury Prep).

Each school has players at the WJC tournament in Vancouver and Victoria, BC.

The Bulldogs have two defensemen, Phil Kemp (Greenwich) and Jack St. Ivany.

The Huskies have just one representing them there. Jachym Kondelik is with the Czech Republic squad. He “scored” the only goal against Russia in a well-played contest using his 6’6 frame screening a right point shot that went off his face and in for the lone Czech goal in a 2-1 loss.

Kondelik was injured however against Canada in a 5-1 loss on hit to the head by Jared McIsaac at 8:08 of the third period. The hit sent his helmet flying. He was suspended for the last night of the preliminary round against Russia by the IIHF.

Kondelik picked up an assist in 4-0 shutout of Denmark.

College and junior hockey have their trade deadlines and movement periods respectively.

Adam Samuelsson of Boston College (HE), the youngest of the Ulf Samuelsson clan, as reported a few weeks ago, was heading to juniors. He will play the rest of the year with the Sioux City (IA) Musketeers (USHL) allowing him to preserve his NCAA eligibility.

In seven games with the Eagles, the 18-year-old was scoreless and had no penalties. The 6’6 240lb. rearguard’s Canadian major junior rights are held by the Sudbury Wolves (OHL).

Joining him in Sioux City, from Hockey East and Beantown rival, Boston University, is Dominic Vidoli who was scoreless in six games with the Terriers.

The last newcomer for Sioux City is Matt Steinburg, the son of former Nighthawk, Trevor Steinburg, currently in his 17^th season as head coach at St. Mary’s University (AUAA) in Halifax.

The younger Steinburg is a Colgate (ECACHL) commit. He will play for a short period in Sioux City. He’s currently at St. Andrews College, a Canadian prep school in Aurora, Ontario. In six games he has two goals and eight points.

The latest potential move is Shane Bowers of Boston University (HE). He is presently playing for Canada at the WJC and is a first-round pick of Colorado. He is rumored to be going to the Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL). His QMJHL rights were just traded from the Saint John Sea Dogs to Drummondville where his advisor/agent, Andre Ruel, of the CAA Group is located.

Ran into former Beast of New Haven and New Haven Knights (UHL) forward, Chad Cabana, who was in town to visit family and friends from Bonnyville, Alberta. He was with his wife and children for the holidays.

Cabana’s eldest son Caden is 16 years old and playing hockey in Alberta for the Lakeland Panthers (NAMHL) at the Double AA level. He has had a couple of games at the AAA level with the Lloydminster Bobcats (AMHL). His nephew Jeremy Germain, is the son of ex-Nighthawk/New Haven Knights (UHL), Eric Germain. He currently plays with Princeton (ECACHL).