BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – As the team nears the conclusion of the last month of the regular season, UCONN gained a valuable three points with a game-winner in the three-on-three overtime for a 3-2 win and series split with UNH.
“I was very happy. We played well enough to win and earn the three points, We really got a lot of pucks and bodies to the net,” said UCONN Head Coach Mike Cavanaugh.
The winning goal came after a diagonal pass by Kevin O’Neil to Johnny Evans. The UCONN forward made no mistake in shooting high to the blocker-side. The game-winner spoiled a sterling performance by goalie Keith Robinson at 1:58.
“It was a great play by Kevin to sift it through and s good finish by Johnny,” Cavanaugh said of just the third game-winner of the season from Evans.
The Pack win would not have been possible without the spectacular game and late regulation time defensive play by Vladislav Firstov, which was most exemplified on Eric Esposito’s late breakaway chance that he conquered.
“Jachym (co-captain Kondelik) brought it up in the locker room after the game and singled out Vlad (for his efforts). We all recognize how important a play that was.”
UCONN PLAYING WELL
In the last minute of regulation, Harrison Rees took a big shot trying to get the puck on the net. Esposito blocked it and had daylight for some potential late-game heroics.
The team defense was much improved.
“We only made a mistake on the tying goals, but overall did a good of defending in our own zone.”
The Wildcats found another moment at 14:13 when Filip Engaras got it into the back of the net that made OT possible as the backboards at the XL Center, for a second time this week, factored in an opposition’s goal. Engaras put in his fifth of the season on a rebound off the boards.
The Huskies held a 2-1 lead and a 19-8 shot advantage in the second. Their first goal looked like an accident as Marc Gatcomb was on his back foot at the blue line. However, he sent a shot toward the net, and the net-front traffic helped out as one of those in the traffic was Carter Turnbull, who was cruising in front, which distracted Robinson and allowed the shot to elude the UNH netminder.
SECOND GOAL
At 11:18, UCONN got their second tally when a rebound of a Gatcomb shot went to Sasha Telguine, who was in the right spot as his backhanded shot found the back of the net.
The Huskies lost Kevin O’Neil for ten minutes after the Yale grad transfer protested the lack of call a bit too vociferously and was hit with a misconduct penalty after being tripped by a UNH player.
On the next shift, Johnny Evans took a high hit behind the net by Liam Devlin with no call from the men in stripes.
The first period was a tightly played affair, with UNH scoring first.
The first goal came off Jackson Pierson’s stick as in the right corner, Colton Huard sent a quick pass that found Pierson in the slot. He one-timed that pass and beat an unsuspecting Darion Hanson for the game’s first score.
LINESÂ
O’Neil-Kondelik-Firstov
Bradley-Schlaine-Tverberg
Gatcomb-Evans-Turnbull
Capone-Telguine-Veilleux
Wheeler-Rees
Berger-Spetz
Kinal-Gourley
Flynn
Hanson
Terness
SCRATCHES
Hudson Schandor
Gavin Puskar
John Wojciechowski
Cassidy Bowed
Austin Metcalfe
Ryan Keane
