MASSACHUSETTS UPENDS PROVIDENCE, 4-1
Chris Capraro registers two goals and assist for UMass

AMHERST, Mass. - Playing in his first game of his senior season, Chris Capraro made a big impact right off the bat Friday night, assisting on UMass' (3-1-1/2-1-0 Hockey East) opening goal before putting up two of his own as the Minutemen beat Providence (2-5-1/1-2-1 HEA) 4-1. Cory Quirk and Chris Davis also had multi-point nights, while Jon Quick was again stellar in net, turning away 33 Friar shots.

The Minutemen power play got things started at 10:59 of the opening stanza with John Cavanagh in the box for obstruction tripping. Quirk, who currently leads the team in points, collected his second of the season off of a Capraro pass to the far side of Tyler Sims in net. Davis also assisted on the play, his first helper of the season.

UMass turned it on in the second, scoring twice in the span of 2:04 to open up the 3-goal lead. Capraro's first goal of the season at 1:19 was an exercise in patience, dragging the puck in front of the Providence crease and waiting to lift it in until after Sims committed. Davis and David Leaderer were credited with the assists, with the latter being Leaderer's first point of 2006-07.

P.J. Fenton made it a 3-0 game at 3:23, assisted by Will Ortiz and Matt Anderson. Anderson brought the puck down with Ortiz, who found Fenton at the top of the crease for the tip. The assist marks three consecutive games in which Ortiz has had a point, while the rookie has scored in all but one game this year.

The Friars came back with a power play goal by Jamie Carroll at 6:26, shot from between the circles. PC won the faceoff cleanly and drew the puck back to the blueline. A later shot from behind the UMass net by Colin McDonald found the open Carroll to make it 3-1. Shots through two were 24-19 in favor of Providence.

Providence pulled its goalie late in the game and Capraro iced it with an empty netter at 18:29, assisted by Quirk. Overall, shots were 34-22 for the visitors, while both teams scored on the power play (UMass: 1-3; PC: 1-2).

The home and home series continues Saturday night in Providence, R.I. Game time is set for 7 p.m.