CANTLON: (FRI) UMASS DROPS UCONN 5-1 IN HOCKEY EAST OPENER 

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The seventh-ranked UMASS Minutemen used a string of performances from Oliver Chau and Bobby Trivigno, who had two points each in overwhelming and dominating the Huskies, 5-1, on Friday night at the Mullins Center. The contest kicked off the 2020-21 Hockey East season.

“In the three periods, I thought they totally outplayed us. I give a lot of credit to their team. They out-skated us, and were more physical, and were better on special teams. They did it for 60 minutes and deserved to win the game,” UCONN Head Coach, Mike Cavanaugh, stated.

UCONN goaltender, Tomas Vomacka, was outstanding in the first period making 21 saves off 22 shots and prevented the game from becoming an early rout as UMASS swarmed all over the Huskies. The Minutemen utilized physical play finishing their checks on every shift.

“He did very well for us,” Cavanaugh said. “But it was that five-on-three that allowed them to create a lot of their shots.”

Cavanaugh speaks of The Minutemen’s early two-man advantage that put UCONN on its heels after taking two penalties just 17 seconds apart in the first five minutes of the contest. Captain Adam Karashik (Ridgefield) had back-to-back blocked shot, but the puck never left the zone.

“We took an unnecessary penalty that made it a five-on-three, and we are a pretty disciplined team. In fact, I thought we took three undisciplined penalties tonight,” a clearly unhappy Cavanaugh said. “You take them against a team like that – they’re gonna make you pay.”

UMASS tallied on the second half of the two-man advantage, just three seconds after the two-man expired.

Cale Kiefiuk was standing alone on the right side of the net. The left-handed shot took Josh Lopino’s pass from behind the net and flipped it up over Vomacka for the 1-0 lead at 5:26.

Play became a track meet for the rest of the period, with UCONN chasing UMASS all over the ice. They launched shot-after-shot with defenseman Marc Del Gaizo being given the flashing green light to launch shots on goal with six of his game high nine shots.

Vomacka was acrobatic between the pipes using every tool and element at his disposal to keep UMASS at bay.

The Huskies game-long penchant for turnovers in the neutral zone and their own zone allowed a hockey rarity, a four-on-one break, and amazingly UMASS didn’t score.

“No question about it, we didn’t take care of the puck in the neutral zone, and that came back to haunt us. UMASS put pressure on us and forced us to make ill-advised plays.”

The Huskies’ best offensive chance came off the stick of Jonny Evans, but goalie Matt Murray was able to come out effectively, and from the butterfly position, made a glove save.

Despite the lopsided shot advantage for the visitors, UCONN managed to escape the period in a 1-1 tie with one of their few offensive zone cycles of the evening.

Freshmen Cassidy Bowed came off the right-wing half-wall with solid puck possession and got a pass to Evans in the left-wing circle. He found Kale Howarth going back door off the right-wing, and he deposited the first Huskies goal of the season into the back of the net at 14:18.

“It was an excellent play, Cassidy made a good play keeping it in, and Jonny made an excellent pass,“ said Cavanaugh.

But that one goal would be all for the offense on the night.

The Huskies were better defensively in the second period limiting UMASS to just nine shots. Offensively, they were only able to space out seven shots over the middle frame.

UMASS went into the second intermission with a lead from an early goal. At 2:54, Garret Wait, a Minnesota transfer, came unchecked into the slot on the left-wing side and took a soft, backhanded pass from Chau after he curled off to the left side the net and deposited his first Hockey East goal and a 2-1 lead for UMASS.

“I think, the fact we never had a shutdown, and have been able to practice for three months and we played very well tonight,” UMASS head coach Greg Carvel said.

UCONN had a great chance at 11:32 of the second period. Vladislav Firstov used his speed to outrace the UMASS defense and pick up a loose puck off the left-wing boards. He came in alone and cut to the middle. He went to the backhand, but Murray was able to close the five-hole.

Nick Capone (East Haven/Salisbury Prep) used his strong skating skills and strength to draw a penalty, but UCONN couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity.

UCONN had another cycle off of five-on-five chances but missed the net.

In the third period, UMASS broke UCONN down defensively and scored three times to pull away and take control of the game.

While on the power play, Oliver MacDonald was on the left-wing and took a Colin Felix cross-ice pass off the right wing boards that went clean through the box and deposited it on the short-side midway through the period at 10:01 extending their lead to 3-1.

At 17:29, Zac Jones converted a Trivigno rebound off another defensive zone giveaway for a 4-1 lead.

UMASS put the cap on the night’s scoring when Chau redirected Trivigno’s shot as he sped in off the right point and cut to the middle and fired his shot with 1:09 left on the powerplay.

UCONN LINES:

Marc Gatcomb-Jachym Kondelik-Nick Capone

Cale Howarth-Cassidy Boweds-Jonny Evans

Vladislav Firstov-Artem Schlaine-Carter Turnbull

Zac Robbins-Hudson Schandor-Brian Rigali

Yan Kuznetsov-John Spetz

Ryan Wheeler-Adam Karashik

Jacob Flynn-Harrison Rees

NOTES:

UCONN defenseman, Carter Berger, was a scratch with a non-COVID illness.

UMASS head coach Greg Carvel on playing the game before no fans. “A few years ago (before their recent success) we had just one cardboard cut out at the games.”