#3 New Hampshire 6 at #2 Denver 4
Hat tricks from both Grayson Downing and Kevin Goumas aided the Wildcats in a hard fought comeback victory versus a stingy Pioneers team. With the win, UNH will likely leap frog Denver into second place in the nation, and may even receive enough first place votes to become the top ranked team in the nation.
It was all Denver early on. Three goals in the first ten minutes of the game by Gabe Levin, Daniel Doremus and Matt Tabrum gave the Pioneers a comfortable lead going into the first intermission. After Tabrum’s goal, Dick Umile made a decision to pull his star goaltender Casey DeSmith from the cage and send back-up Jeff Wyer into the game.
In the first half of the second period, Wildcat sophomore Grayson Downing pumped in two goals to cut the deficit to just one goal. Trying to pull away once again, Pioneer’s Ty Loney scored an unassisted goal midway through the second to put Denver up 4-2.
Just 1:19 into the third period, Downing beat goaltender Sam Brittain to complete his hat-trick and get UNH to within one goal. From here, UNH forward Kevin Goumas took over.
The junior scored a natural hat trick in the remaining seven minutes of the contest to bring the Wildcats from down a goal to up two as time expired. Following his larger than life performance, Goumas now leads UNH and the Hockey East with 20 points.
at #1 Boston College 6, #11 Dartmouth 3
Pat Mullane (2-2=4) and Johnny Gaudreau (2-3=5) led the Eagles to a 6-3 victory over the visiting Dartmouth Big Green. With the win, BC extends their winning streak to 10 games improving to 10-1 overall (8-1 in Hockey East)
Mullane got the Eagles started, beating Charles Grant 3:40 into the contest to give BC a 1-0 edge. In response, Rick Pinkston scored his first goal of the season with 3:41 left in the opening frame to even the score at one.
Patrick Brown and Gaudreau scored unanswered goals in the second to go up two on Dartmouth in the beginning half of the second frame. A late second period rally by the Big Green evened the score with goals from Brandon McNally and Tyler Sikura with under 1:30 left in the middle frame.
Mullane scored his second just 18 seconds into the third period, providing the game winning goal for the Eagles.
UMass Lowell 3 vs. Princeton 1
A scoring barrage in the final two minutes of the second period allowed for the Riverhawks to defeat the visiting Tigers 3-1 Saturday afternoon at Tsongas Arena. With the win, Lowell improves to 4-5-1 overall (2-4-1 Hockey East).
Both sides were back and forth, until a sudden offensive explosion occurred in the final minutes of the second period. Terrence Walin, Michael Colantone and Joseph Pendenza all scored goals within 1:22 of eachother to quickly give the Riverhawks a 3-0 advantage going into the final period.
Lowell held tough in the third, with back up goaltender Connor Hellebuyck making nine of his 22 saves in the final frame. With 5:09 left in the game, Princeton’s Aaron Kesselman solved the freshman netminder, bringing the score to 3-1.
Providence 7 vs. Brown 0
It was the perfect combination of offense and defense for the Friars in their defeat of Brown 7-0 Saturday afternoon. With the win, Providence wins the 27th annual Mayors Cup and improves their record to 6-5-1 overall (4-3 Hockey East).
Offensively it was junior Kevin Hart who picked up one goal and three assists against cross-town rival Brown. Hart, a product from Cumberland, Maine. was complimented with a multi point game from Shane Luke (two assists) and Chris Rooney (two assists).
Providence’s Kyle Murphy scored the eventual game winning goal 3:29 into the contest to get the Friars’ attack started. Drew Brown, Tom Parisi, Noel Acciari, Ross Mauermann, and Brandon Taney also scored for Tim Leaman’s squad.
Defensively, it was Jon Gillies (Calgary Flames). The freshman goaltender stopped all 35 shots he saw, and recorded his second career shutout. Gillies and the Friars will compete in a home and home series with Merrimack next weekend.
at #10 Boston University 4, St. Lawrence 0
Eleven different Terriers registered a point Saturday night to help lead BU to a 4-0 shutout victory of non-conference opponent St. Lawrence. With the win, Jack Parker’s team improves to 7-4-0 overall (5-3 Hockey East). Freshman goaltender Sean Maguire (Pittsburgh Penguins) made 21 saves in the victory, recording the first shutout of his collegiate career.
Wade Megan (Florida Panthers) got BU started midway through the first period, scoring his seventh goal of the season. The junior was assisted by freshman Ahti Oksanen and Yasin Cisse (Winnepeg Jets). It took until late in the second period for the Terriers to strike again but with 1:06 left in the middle stanza Sam Kurker (St. Louis Blues) extended the scarlet and white lead to two.
Ben Rosen and Matt Nieto each added goals of their own down the stretch to seal the victory for BU.
at #18 Quinnipiac 2, UMass Amherst 2 (OT)
Following a 2-0 win over Providence Tuesday night, the Bobcats were looking to keep their success up against the Minutemen on Saturday night. However, Quinnipiac was in need of a third period goal from Matt Dalhuisen to even the game at two, and escape with a draw in Amherst.
Bryce Van Brabant registered his first goal of the season just 3:24 into the contest to give the blue and gold a 1-0 advantage. Later on in the opening frame, Minutemen forward Conor Sheary evened the score at one on a short-handed goal. Senior co-captain Kevin Czepiel and Joel Hanley registered assists on the goal.
Midway through the second period, Rocco Carzo tallied his fifth goal of the season to give UMass a one goal edge on the Bobcats. The two sides were even for a full period, until Quinnipiac received a goal from Dalhuisen, evening the score at two.
#4 Minnesota 3 at Vermont 1
A pair of second period goals allowed for the Gophers to gain a quick advantage on the Catamounts, which led to a 3-1 victory for Minnesota Saturday night at the Gutterson Field House. With the loss, Kevin Sneddon’s squad continues to slide, falling to 2-7-2 overall (2-5-2 in Hockey East play).
Tom Serratore and AJ Michaelson scored 1:10 apart from each other early in the second period to give the Gophers a fast 2-0 lead. Minnesota goaltender Adam Wilcox, who made 26 saves in the contest, along with his defense held strong unitl early in the third period when Jacob Fallon scored for Vermont, halving the Gophers lead.
Following the vacating of the Catamounts net by Brody Hoffman to gain an extra man advantage, Nate Condon scored his third goal of the season to ice the victory for the maroon and gold.
FRIDAY NIGHT
at Merrimack 1, Colgate 1
Joe Wilson scored a goal 4:51 into the second period for the visiting Raiders to even the score at 1-1. Little did he know, the game would eventually end in this score, with the two sides gridlocked through the final periods including overtime. With the tie, the Warriors hold a record of 4-6-2 overall (3-3-1 Hockey East).
Midway through the first period, Merrimack forward Mike Collins scored his seventh goal of the season, giving the junior 15 points on the season and sole possession of first place in the Hockey East. The goal gave him a one point advantage on Boston College sophomore Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary Flames).
Warriors’ goaltender Rasmus Tirronen (1-3-2) finished the contest with 21 saves, while Spencer Finney of Colgate made 23 of his own, posting an overall record of 2-2-1.
St. Lawrence 5 at Northeastern 2
Kyle Flanagan and Greg Carey picked up one goal and one assist each for the Saints on the way to a 5-3 victory over the hosting Northeastern Huskies Friday night. With the loss, the Huskies fall to 4-7-1 on the season (2-6-1 in Hockey East play).
The Huskies struck first off a goal from Ludwig Karlsson at the 13:52 mark of the first period. Following the sophomore’s fifth goal of the season, the Saints pumped in five of their own over the next three periods.
Carey got St. Lawrence started, scoring on Huskies netminder Bryan Mountain with 53 seconds left in the first period. Following the intermission, Gunnar Hughes and Flanagan scored one each midway through the second period. Flanagan’s ninth goal of the season proved to be the game winner.
Chris Martin and Pat Raley each scored with under five minutes left in the game to seal the victory for St. Lawrence.
# 4 Minnesota 5 at Vermont 1
Junior captain Zach Budish (Nashville Predators) registered a goal and an assist for the visiting Gophers, leading Minnesota to a 5-1 victory over Vermont Friday night. With the loss, the Catamounts drop their first non conference bout of the season and slide to 2-6-2 overall (2-5-2 in Hockey East).
Minnesota’s Seth Ambroz scored his fourth goal of the season 7:52 into the opening stanza to give the Gophers a 1-0 advantage. In response, Brett Bruneteau of the Catamounts tallied a goal of his own to even the score.
From here, Minnesota received goals from Kyle Rau with 1:21 left in the first period, and Budish, Nick Bjugstad andMike Reilly periodically throughout the second to provide the Gophers with a comfortable 5-1 lead heading into the remainder of the game.
The two sides will meet again tomorrow night back at the Gutterson Field House for Game 2 of the weekend mini-series
at #14 Colorado College 4, #3 New Hampshire 4 (OT)
Rylan Schwarz tallied a goal and two assists, aiding in a four goal comeback for the hosting Tigers. The game would eventually tie 4-4 at the end of overtime. The comeback tie holds Colorado College’s record at 7-5-1 overall, while the now 8-1-2 Wildcats register their second draw of the season.
New Hampshire sophomore forward Casey Thrush got the Wildcats started on the road with a goal just 1:58 into the contest. Midway through the opening frame defenseman Trevor Van Riemsdyk scored a goal of his own, extending the Wildcats’ lead to 2-0. Early on in the second period, Thrush scored his second, followed by another from Scott Pavelski to make it 4-0 UNH.
Then the Tigers awoke.
One goal apiece from Ian Young and Mike Boivin brought the Tigers to within two goals at the end of the second period. The two sides went back and forth until 3:31 left in the game when Schwartz scored his sixth goal of the season to make it 4-3.
With 1:55 left in the contest, the Tigers struck again, tying the game at four goals for each side. This time it was off the stick of William Rapuzzi, assisted by Schwartz.