BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – UCONN dropped their Hockey East opening game to Boston University, 2-1, resulting from a bad penalty taken late in the contest by senior Carter Turnbull as the team launched their 100th hockey season.
The late hit came in the right-wing corner after a bouncing; rolling puck came to Robert Mastrisimone’s stick. On the ensuing powerplay, the right-winger pounced on Wilmer Skoog’s rebound with 3:57 remaining, sending the puck to the far side for the win. The Terriers victory gave them their ninth win in the last ten meetings between the two schools.
“We played well for 55 minutes,” intoned a dejected-sounding Huskies head coach, Mike Cavanaugh. “We managed the puck, played effectively, competed hard, and they got a lucky bounce to tie it on the back of the net. Darion (Hanson) didn’t see it. Then we kind of sat back. We got to be mentally strong. We have five minutes to win a game. In this league, you need 60 minutes to win a game.”
Turnbull’s poorly-timed minor for boarding could easily have been called as a major as the hit was square in the back with a player facing the boards. Instead, BU capitalized on Turnbull’s poor decision for the game-winner.
The effort ruined a 41-save solid effort from Hanson.
“(Hanson) made several big saves for us, and he didn’t need to do that, but this is a good league, with good players. Tonight, he showed he can compete in this league.”
BU was stifled by Hanson’s glove hand. UCONN’s team saw the game tied just 1:43 earlier.
BU’s Domenick Fensore had one of the few Terrier rushes. He came down the left wing unchecked. The pucks rested on the back of the net as Sam Stevens raced behind the net unchecked and gobbled it up and slipped it in the open right side of the net.
A few players seemed asleep at the switch around the net side of the net.
UCONN’s Chase Bradley had three shots and an excellent two-way game, but his efforts were wasted.
“He had a strong game for us. So did Vlad (Fiirstov), Arty (Schlaine) had good games while other players had strong games for us.”
Just minutes before BU’s Dylan Peterson’s right point drive nearly won it, Hanson got the rebound too. Hudson Schandor had an excellent opportunity for the Huskies to tie it with an attempt at 18:07 but was stopped by Drew Commesso (33 saves).
UCONN had a solid second period, bringing down the shots gap and staying out of the penalty box. They were also effectively moving the puck out of their zone with solid rushes and clean passes.
The best scoring chance UCONN had was near the end of the first period. Kevin O’Neil was open on the right-wing, and Cammesso dove coming up with a 10-bell glove save with just 3.6. seconds left.
The two teams travel to Boston tomorrow for the second half of their meeting this weekend
LINES
MARC GATCOMB – JACHYM KONDELIK – JONNY EVANS
VLADISLAV FIRSTOV – ARTEM SCHLAINE – NICK CAPONE
CHASE BRADLEY – HUDSON SCHANDOR – RYAN TVERBERG
CASSIDY BOWES – KEVIN O’NEIL – CARTER TURNBULL
-Nick Capone (East Haven/Salisbury School) played his first game, registered just one shot on net and a thunderous offensive zone hit in the second
ROMAN KINAL – JOHN SPETZ
RYAN WHEELER – JAKE FLYNN
CARTER BERGER – HARRISON REES
GOALIES
DARION HANSON
MATT PASQUALE
