BOSTON - Redshirt-freshman Derick Roy made 27 saves in his collegiate debut, and the Northeastern men's ice hockey team (2-0-0) received goals from three different skaters before holding on for a 3-2 win against Alabama-Huntsville on Saturday night at Matthews Arena.
Braden Pimm, Cody Ferriero and Colton Saucerman all scored for the Huskies, who outshot UAH 37-29 in the game. NU took 11 minor penalties during the game, resulting in both of the Chargers' goals. Northeastern, meanwhile, was 2-of-8 on the man advantage and won 29-of-49 draws.
The Huskies began the contest in a similar style to Friday night, taking advantage of an early five-minute major and game misconduct penalty to the Chargers to net a power play goal just 3:32 into the game. After Brent Fletcher was sent off for hitting from behind, Pimm netted his second goal of the weekend when he redirected a shot from Mike Szmatula from the right side past Guerriero for the score.
UAH generated a few scoring chances on Roy during the opening frame, two of which resulted in penalties to the Huskies. The NU penalty killing unit, however, stymied the Charger power play and held them without a shot on goal during both man advantages.
Later in the frame, Josh Manson made a bid for a 2-0 lead when he fired a shot off the post after a feed from Szmatula.
Although NU held a 14-8 edge in shots on goal during the second period, the teams played an even middle frame. Both squads also combined for seven penalties during the middle frame, but it was the Huskies who converted on the man advantage to take a 2-0 lead through 40 minutes of play.
Guerriero would begin the frame with a big save on a deflection by Pimm off a Cody Ferriero shot from the point, steering it into the corner. Torin Snydeman also had a quality chance for NU midway through the period when he swiped the puck from behind the UAH and tried to do a wraparound, but Guerriero recovered just in time to make the diving save.
Roy held his ground at the other end of the ice, keeping his cool during a scrum in the crease with nine minutes left in the frame. Moments later, Jeff Vanderlugt tried to pick the right corner with a snap shot, but Roy got a shoulder on it to make the save.
The Huskies would strike during a two-minute five-on-three power play following two crosschecking calls on the Chargers with Ferriero's first of the season. After John Stevens would a clean faceoff back to Kevin Roy, Roy and Ferriero played catch at the point. Roy then fed Ferriero with a pass, and Ferriero ripped a one-timer through traffic and past Guerriero for the score.
Alabama-Huntsville gave the Huskies everything they could handle in the third, outshooting NU 13-8 while Northeastern was sent to the penalty box five times in the final 20 minutes.
Northeastern would extend its lead to 3-1 with 6:52 left in regulation when Szmatula was tripped up entering the attacking zone, but was still able to drop a pass to Colton Saucerman. Saucerman then continued towards goal before sending a low shot that beat Guerriero five-hole.
UAH would pull Guerriero in favor of the extra skater with less than two minutes left in the third, and cut the deficit to one on a goal from Steven Koshey with five seconds to play, allowing the Huskies to hang on for the win.
Northeastern will be back in action next weekend for a home-and-home set with Holy Cross, beginning on Friday night in Worcester, Mass.
Game Notes:
- Northeastern is now 4-0-0 all-time against Alabama-Huntsville. NU also improves to 18-13-1 all-time against current WCHA teams, and hasn't lost to a team in the conference since Oct. 12, 2001.
- Saturday's win moved NU to 2-0-0 for the second straight season. The last time the Huskies were 2-0-0 in consecutive seasons was in 1993-94 and 1994-95.
- Szmatula's two assists gave him five helpers in his first two collegiate games.
- Sophomore Kevin Roy had two assists on Saturday, bringing him to six points (three goals, three assists) in his first two games.