AMHERST, Mass. - Early goals in the first and second periods helped #12 Providence edge UMass hockey, 2-1 on Senior Night at the Mullins Center on Saturday. Following the setback, the Minutemen sit at 8-21-4 overall, 4-13-3 in Hockey East, while the Friars improve to 17-9-5 overall and 9-7-2 in league play.
Senior Colin Shea scored the lone goal on the evening for UMass, his first of the season. Sophomore Evan Stack assisted on the tally for his first collegiate point, while senior Patrick Kiley added an assist, as well, his first point of the season.
Providence took a 1-0 lead 5:59 into the contest as Brandon Tanev won the puck along the boards and centered it for Noel Acciari who drove a shot past Steve Mastalerz.
The Friars later extended their advantage to 2-0 at the start of the second period. Stefan Demopoulos and Brandon Tanev set up Mark Jankowski's one-timer from the doorstep at the 5:06 mark.
UMass cut its deficit to one 9:01 into the third period. Shea fired in a shot from the right point over the shoulder of Jon Gillies off a feed from Stack and Kiley.
That was all the Minutemen could manage against Gillies, however, who finished with 25 stops. Mastalerz turned aside 23 in net for UMass.
The Minutemen ended the night with a 26-25 shot advantage, while both teams were 0-for-2 on the power play.
UMass, with a bye the final week of the regular season, will await its playoff destination and will be back in action either March 7-8 for the opening round of the Hockey East Tournament.