CANTLON: UCONN WINS HOCKEY EAST SEMIFINAL 

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

BOSTON, MA – The UCONN Huskies turned in a stellar three-period, three-zone performance, allowing them to knock off the regular season’s champion #11 Northeastern, 4-1.

UCONN’s game plan included attacking the Northeastern defense and targeting captain Jordan Harris all night.

“The way they play together is fun to watch, “remarked an emotionally exhausted but happy head coach Mike Cavanaugh.

The team will play defending Hockey East and national champion UMASS tomorrow at 7:30 pm on NESN.

SMALL PLAYS ARE KEY TO GOALS

The third goal gave UCONN a two-goal cushion due to solid forechecking and a hit by Hudson Schandor on Jayden Struble, which forced a turnover in the Northeastern zone. It led to leading scorer Ryan Tverberg getting the puck. He went right to the net, made a great move to get past Tommy Miller, then outwaited goalie Devon Levi who dove out. Tverberg held on to the puck, shifted it to his backhand, and then tucked his 14th goal of the season inside the left post after going to his forehand at 4:32.

“It was playing your own game nothing changed really, do what we always do. It’s great to be part of history. We will now focus on tomorrow, “said Tverberg in the post-game.

Coach Cavanaugh played the emotional keys all week.

“We showed video of Mark Messier talking about winning the Stanley Cup (with the Rangers in 1994), when nobody wanted to talk about it. We’ve talked openly about all our goals. People were afraid to say it and we’re trying to meet all these challenges head on. We weren’t star struck to be in the building.” Cavanaugh commented.

UCONN was consistently finishing their checks all game long, and Northeastern could not gain any traction on goaltender Darion Hanson, who stopped Hughes from 25-feet out on a quick snapshot at 13:37.

CAVANAUGH REACTS

“I was happy with the way we competed today for sixty minutes. Last week we sat back a bit with the lead against BU. Today we didn’t, but this game, we were on our toes in the third period and played a strong game for the full sixty, and we’re very happy to be playing tomorrow. I’m very proud of my team,” UCONN head coach Mike Cavanaugh said hoarsely from his game-long elevated voice level required in the raucous, rowdy TD Boston Garden.

Marc Gatcomb, the nearby Woburn product, put a cap on the game. His goal, the team’s fourth and eighth of the season, was also a product of another small play. Vlad Firstov took McDonough out to center, freeing up the puck for his teammate to put a backhander into the empty cage. That goal started the celebration at 17:52 as the UCONN faithful were ready to dance down Causeway and Canal Streets with UCONN banners in hand.

“That was so much to watch and be a part of the last two minutes that was Husky hockey. We had a timeout and looking around seeing (everybody) it was so much fun. To see the level of UCONN support surprised me a bit. To see during warm ups, the whole UCONN section fill up, it motivated us. We’re gonna need them all tomorrow,” said Hanson.

McDonough thought he got his 25th of the season with 4.3 seconds left, but after a video review, the play was ruled offsides nullifying his goal and cementing that it was UCONN’s night. A shot at the Lamoriello Trophy is now within UCONN’s grasp.

GOALTENDERS

In the second period, each team had their chances as Northeastern scored off the opening draw. Harris had a backhander go off a McDonough pass ten seconds in, but Hanson was atop his goal crease to make the save.

Levi showed why he has the nation’s best save percentage as Jonny Evans sprung Turnbull free for a shorthanded breakaway at 5:32, and Turnbull made a smart deke. Still, Levi flashed his glove and snatched Turnbull’s bid and briefly UCONN’s hopes when it seemed they would again fall prey to Levi’s goaltending.

Hanson did his version when Jack Hughes split the defense in two down the middle of Ryan Wheeler and Harrison Rees and went straight in on Hanson. Still, there was no room Hanson gave him as he repelled his break-in bid at 7:19 after Firstov blew a tire at the Northeastern blue line, and Harrist sent the loose puck up to Hughes.

“I was focused on doing my job, not focused on anything else that can be detrimental (to our effort) do what I can to help the team win,” Hanson stated amidst the post-game pandemonium.

SCORING RECAP

UCONN made it to 2-1 at 13:47 of the second period. Harrison Rees sent an outlet pass to Chase Bradley. He got the first shot on Levi as he used Tyler Spott as a screen on the shot.

It went off his glove, and a rare rebound was available. Bradley followed up on the play with a shot off the far post as Vladislav Firstov lifted Harris’s stick as he was going net-front, allowing Roman Kinal, who was pinching in from the left point, to fire in the eventual game-winner. It was his third of the year, and it came off a rebound.

Jachym Kondelik nearly had a goal on a deflection at 15:19, but Levi was equal to the task. Kevin O’ Neil had an intense rush but lost the puck as it rolled off his stick at the last second.

Then on a two-on-one break, Hudson Schandor’s pass attempt across meant for Ryan Tverberg was deftly broken up by Tommy Miller, thwarting a critical UCONN chance at the last second.

Sam Colangelo of Northeastern on the left wing with a solid chance was turned aside by Hanson.

Northeastern tied the game at one on their dangerous power-play, which has been UCONN’s game all season-long penchant for taking too many penalties occurred.

All five players on the ice touched the puck as Gunnarwolfe Fontaine from the left-wing sent it back to Jordan Harris at the point in the umbrella format slipped it over to Aidan McDonough, and he made no mistake with his 24th on a one-time slapper from the right-wing circle at 14:13.

UCONN got the all-important first goal of the game as Bradley moving across the slot, shot it toward the net.

Nick Capone, cruising in front, swung his stick at the puck, got a piece of it, and Firstov put in the loose puck that hit him in the skate first for his 11th at 11:39.

It was a physical encounter with several after whistle scrums-UCONN showed it had come to play and would not be intimidated, not backing off an inch-they had come to play.

Carter Turnbull had an early wraparound chance stopped by Levi, and Hanson handled what came his way.

NOTES

42 collegians have turned pro, including the latest Patrick Giles of BC signing a PTO with Charlotte (AHL), and Philip Lagunov, a transfer to Vermont from UMASS, signs with Tucson (AHL).

Bo Hanson, no relation to UCONN’s Darion, is on his third college at Northern Michigan University, heads to the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL). Teammate Garrett Klee, son of former NHL’er Ken Klee, signs with the Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL).

Gunnarwolfe Fontaine’s older sister Skylar is a big part of the Northeastern Lady Huskies Hockey champion program that lost in double overtime to Minnesota-Duluth 2-1 last night. The Yale women lost in the semi to Ohio State.

Expect Harris to sign with Montreal and head to the Laval Rocket (AHL) in the coming days, signing a deal with Montreal GM Kent Hughes, father of his two Hughes boys (Jack and Riley), and may play for Martin St. Louis the interim Canadiens head coach the father of another teammate, Ryan St. Louis.

UCONN HOCKEY

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