NORTHEASTERN SLIPS PAST MASSACHUSETTS, 2-1
Kyle Kraemer scores game-winning goal for Huskies

Kyle KRaemer scored the game-winner for the Huskies

BOSTON, Mass. - David Strathman and Kyle Kraemer scored to lead Northeastern to a 2-1 win over Massachusetts on Friday at Matthews Arena. Sophomore goalie Brad Thiessen made 28 saves and freshman defenseman Dan Nycholat had two assists in the game.

The Huskies have won their last three Hockey East games and improve to 14-10-3 overall and 11-7-2 in the league with the win. Massachusetts drops to 10-11-6 overall and 5-10-5 in Hockey East. The Huskies pulled into a tie for second in Hockey East with Boston College after BC's 3-1 loss to UMass Lowell and Providence's 1-1 tie with New Hampshire.

Massachusetts scored the first goal of the game when Marc Concannon fired a shot high on the near side from the right circle. Scott Crowder intercepted a Husky pass in the neutral zone and passed it to Concannon, who skated in for a breakaway and took a slapshot for the score at 11:54 in the first period.

Strathman tied the game at 1-1 at 14:13 in the first period. The Huskies were cycling the puck in the UMass zone and Chad Costello passed it to Dan Nycholat at the point and Nycholat passed it to Strathman on the right point. Strathman skated in and made a move to get a UMass defenseman out of position, then shot it top shelf for the score.

There were several scoring opportunities for both teams in the second period but none went in until Kraemer's score at 19:45. Nycholat got the puck in the Northeastern zone and passed it off the boards to Joe Vitale, who sent it to Kraemer just before the blueline. Kraemer skated in all alone through the left circle and beat Massachusetts goalie Paul Dainton high on the far side to make it 2-1 Huskies. Kraemer had a team-high six shots on goal in the game.

The third period was hard fought, with Northeastern outshooting Massachusetts 14-6, but neither team could put another goal on the board. Massachusetts nearly scored at 15:34 but P.J. Fenton was called for interference on the play. The Minutemen called a timeout at 2:01 and pulled Dainton in the final minutes but couldn't find the back of the net. Dainton made 33 saves in the game.

The teams will rematch on Saturday night at the Mullins Center in Amherst, Mass., at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on 890 ESPN Boston and WRBB Radio.