MASSACHUSETTS AND HARVARD SKATE TO 4-4 TIE
Freshman forward Steven Guzzo posts goal and assist for Minutemen

Sophomore defenseman Adam Phillips scored a goal for the Minutemen

AMHERST, Mass. - UMass hockey never trailed on Friday night at the Mullins Center, but had each of its goals answered by Harvard as the teams skated to a 4-4 tie on Friday evening. The Minutemen, who will next host Yale on Wednesday, Dec. 7, are now 4-7-4 on the season, while the Crimson sit at 3-3-3.

The Mass Attack quickly took a 1-0 lead 1:39 into the opening period after capitalizing on a two-on-one. T.J. Syner and Branden Gracel set up Conor Sheary's fifth goal of the season.

After being held scoreless in the first, Harvard managed to net the equalizer at the 7:34 mark in the second. Moments after the first UMass penalty that resulted in a 5-on-3 for the Crimson expired, Marshall Everson stuffed in a rebound off a shot from the point with Danny Biega and Patrick McNally picking up the assists.

Just over a minute later, the Minutemen went back on top after Patrick Kiley won the puck along the boards and sent a cross-ice pass to Colin Shea for a slapper at the blue line that found its way past Harvard netminder Steve Michalek at 8:46.

With the Mass Attack shorthanded once again, the Crimson connected for another power play tally 14:33 into the frame to pull even at 2-2. Alex Killcorn found the back of the net with a wrister from the left faceoff circle as McNally and Biega registered their second helpers of the night.

UMass promptly answered, though, to go back up by a goal before the end of the period. Just 31 seconds after Harvard's goal, Michael Pereira and Steven Guzzo set up Danny Hobbs with the go-ahead tally.

Then in the third, the Crimson erased the deficit again. Streaking through the slot, Marshall netted his second of the game at 7:26 off a pass from the boards by Alex Fallstrom. Killcorn notched his second point of the night, recording the second assist for the Crimson.

The Mass Attack responded quickly once again. Pereira and Hobbs set up Guzzo at the doorstep. After several whacks of the puck alone in front, Guzzo put home his own rebound at 8:31.

However, Harvard forced an extra period by pulling level with the Minutemen for a fourth time. With traffic in front, Tommy O'Regan tipped in the Crimson's fourth of the evening from Danny Fick and Colin Blackwell 12:04 into the third.

Despite several opportunities for the Minutemen in overtime, the 4-4 score would stand. Harvard ended the night with a 44-35 shot advantage with Kevin Boyle turning aside 40 in net for UMass, while Michalek made 31 stops for the Crimson. Harvard finished a slight edge in faceoffs, 34-31.