BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – The UCONN Huskies battled hard and swept a weekend non-conference series over the visiting Miami (OH) Riverhawks with a 4-3 victory on Saturday at the XL Center before a small crowd of just 2,735.
The second period was devoid of real quality scoring chances by either team except for the first six minutes of the third frame.
Miami came out with a fierce forecheck and pinned UCONN in their own end and they were able to tie the game at two.
The Redhawks Derek Daschke circled the net and found Monte Graham open in the slot and with traffic in front snapped his third goal past Tomas Vomacka at 1:10 and tied the game at two.
UCONN answered back just 1:04 later.
Zac Robbins broke in with Brian Rigali. Robbins fed Rigali, who’s been snakebitten of late, who, from 30 feet out, whistled a wrist shot over the blocker of Ben Kraws to help the Huskies get back their lead at 3-2.
It was one of several turning points for the Huskies.
“It was the key to the game. They had just tied it up,” remarked UCONN head coach, Mike Cavanaugh. “They felt good about themselves coming back and scoring on that next shift got the momentum right back for us.”
Robbins says the play starts very early in the week. “It starts with practice on Monday. We really skate hard throughout the week and on Saturday we’re ready for whatever comes at us. Day-in and day-out, I don’t do anything special. I just try to bring energy every single day, so good things are finally coming.”
Robbins has been a strong contributor to the team’s turnaround the last month.
UCONN got some puck luck helped them extend the lead to two goals.
It started with a faceoff win on the power play by Jachym Kondelik and Wyatt Newpower taking the puck and feeding his defensive partner, Yan Kuznetsov at the blue line for a 55-foot blast.
The shot just sailed past the left post and hit the backboards. In his backswing, Kraws, while trying to stop the initial shot, caught the puck and put it into his own net at 5:48.
“We got lucky on the goal, but good things happen when you shoot the puck. We have been preaching that as of late, and that’s why we’re scoring powerplay goals as of late.”
UCONN’s improved late-game performance goes to the work of the team’s strength and conditioning coach Maureen Butler.
“I think we have a great strength and conditioning coach, Mo Butler, who does a phenomenal job with our guys. It just doesn’t start in September, but back in July. She has a good feel in keeping them in good shape conversing with us, how we should skate them on the ice. The reason we’re in pretty good shape is primarily because of her.”
Miami kept chipping away. Just after a powerplay opportunity, they cashed in to narrow the gap back to one goal.
Karch Bachman was at the left point and made a perfect diagonal pass to Chase Pletzke, who in one motion on the right-wing, in one motion, put it back across the crease to John Sladic, who easily put in his second of the game and fourth goal of the season at 12:15.
The Huskies were able to handle the last push with the goalie pulled as Ben Freeman won a key late defensive zone draw to stifle the Redhawks.
The first half of the second period was a tight defensive battle with the best chance coming with a wide-open Rigali taking a Jordan Timmons pass from behind the net. Kraws stopped his first shot and his follow up a couple of whacks at the rebound trying to jam it past him at 6:38.
The second period was like a traffic jam with no room to maneuver.
The first opening they had, UCONN took advantage of it.
Freeman made a good short pass to Robbins. He got Redhawks defenseman, Grant Frederic, turned around. Robbins scooted past him and cut across the net and slipped in his first of the season at 16:40.
For Robbins, who had battled back injuries over the past year, this was a sweet moment.
“I saw the defenseman had a bad gap. I yelled for the puck. Free made a great pass to me, and I was able to beat him wide and was able to get the puck and get it in.”
Cavanaugh was effusive about his sophomore winger.
“He was our Husky of the Week this week. We give out an award for someone who continually plays the right way not getting all the accolades he deserves. Zac been really solid and was really glad to see him rewarded with that goal tonight.”
The rejuvenation of Robbins’ play comes down to one word – health.
“I’m finally healthy. I’ve had back issues in the past that took a toll on me mentally, but now that I’m healthy, it’s helped my game a lot.”
Miami’s Phil Knies had two chances. The first on the right-wing and then at the end of his shift both denied by Vomacka. Green smacked one out of the air but missed the shot to the short-side with about 20 seconds left in the period.
Despite a strong, effective first half of the game at the start, it was Miami that got the game’s first goal.
From the left point, Alec Capstick, with Ryan Savage in front screening Vomacka, saw his linemate John Sladic make a perfect deflection up high for his third goal of the year at 11:27.
The Huskies tied the game at one 5:10 later. Kondelik had a right-wing rush and took a backhanded shot that Kraws saw go over and past his left post. Kraws only got a piece of it. Payusov was right there to get a piece of the puck as it went over the goal line at 16:37.
“Kondy (Kondelik) made the play getting it to the net. We had been practicing all week getting pucks to the net.”
The line has been clicking of late.
“We really complement each other. We bring different skills” remarked Payusov. “Gatty (Gatcomb) is such a good skater. Kondy is such a good passer and shoots the puck quickly and it makes it hard to defend against us, and aIso it’s fun to play when we’re playing like this.”
UCONN had the shot advantage of 18-9 with Marc Gatcomb, getting a quality chance, but Payusov and Kondeilk combined for seven of the 18 shots on net.
NOTES:
UCONN plays next Friday and Saturday at home against Vermont in a Hockey East matchup the last games before exam and Christmas break.
Miami (OH) heads back for an NCHC conference meeting at home against St. Cloud State.
The Huskies switched up and played in their blue/gray uniforms.
Several other Miami (OH) Redhawks have pro hockey lineage. Carter Johnson’s grandfather, Bob Leiter, played 447 NHL games with Boston, the California Golden Seals, Pittsburgh, and the Atlanta Flames. He ended his career with the WHA Calgary Cowboys. He also spent three years with the AHL Hershey Bears.
Grant Frederic’s older brother, Trent Frederic, plays with Providence (AHL).
The team also features a player from Tennessee and the Nashville Jr. Predators program in Andrew Sinard, who’s a current Hawaii resident born in Arizona in Brian Hawkinson.
The Red Hawks got a college commitment for next year as the right-handed shooting defenseman, Alexander Murray, (Selects Academy at South Kent Prep) who’s now with St. Cloud (NAHL) made his commit for the 20-21 season.
