Massachusetts Defeats Air Force, 5-1, At Catamount Cup
Sophomore forward Frank Vatrano posts goal and two assists for Minutemen

Sophomore forward Frank Vatrano had a goal and two assists for the Minutemen
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 3:56  UMA1-0 PP Ben Gallacher (2)Frank Vatrano/6, Troy Power/7
1st 19:53  AFA1-1 EV Cole Gunner (7)Chad Demers/10
2nd 14:33  UMA2-1 EV GW Ray Pigozzi (4)Dennis Kravchenko/8, Frank Vatrano/7
3rd 1:33  UMA3-1 EV Frank Vatrano (11) -
3rd 19:29.6 UMA4-1 EV EN Dennis Kravchenko (6)Brandon Montour/2
3rd 19:52.8 UMA5-1 EV Dominic Trento (1)Patrick Lee/8, Anthony Petrella/1
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Air Force  1001
Massachusetts  1135
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Air Force  117422
Massachusetts  127928
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Air Force (5-12-2)  0/3 3/6 0
Massachusetts (5-13-0)  1/2 4/8 0
Air Force Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Chris Truehl (L, 5-12-2)56:454 116623
Empty Net3:151     
Massachusetts Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Henry Dill (W, 5-7-0)60:001 107421

BURLINGTON, Vt. - After coming out of the first intermission deadlocked at 1-1, the UMass hockey team used four unanswered goals to soar to a 5-1 victory over Air Force at the Catamount Cup on Monday. The win moves the Minutemen to 5-13-0 on the season, while the Falcons drop to 5-12-2 on the year.

Redshirt sophomore Frank Vatrano factored in three of the five tallies for UMass, logging a goal and two assists for his fourth multi-point game of the season. Vatrano, who was named the tournament Player of the Game, currently leads the Minutemen in scoring with 18 points, all coming over the past 14 games.

Freshman Dennis Kravchenko had a multi-point effort as well, his third of the year, as he contributed a goal and an assist in the victory.

Junior Ben Gallacher scored his first power-play goal in a UMass uniform, his second goal of the season overall, while freshman Dominic Trento netted his first of his collegiate career.

UMass took a 1-0 lead 3:56 into the first period on its first power play opportunity of the game. Off a rebound from a shot by redshirt senior Troy Power, Vatrano picked up the puck and found Gallacher for the tally from the left point.

Air Force managed to tie the score, however, with just 6.5 seconds remaining in the frame. Cole Gunner cleaned up a rebound off a shot by Scott Holm after Johnny Hrabovsky won the puck along the wall.

The Minutemen pulled back in front towards the close of the second period. Kravchenko and Vatrano set up sophomore Ray Pigozzi for a tap-in at the back post at the 14:33 mark, his fourth of the season.

In the opening moments of the third, Vatrano gave UMass a two-goal cushion with a great individual effort, winning the puck in the defensive zone and skating up the middle of the ice for a strike from the slot 1:33 into the stanza.

The Minutemen then sealed the win with a pair in the final 31 seconds of play. The first was an empty net goal by Kravchenko, set up by an outlet pass from freshman Brandon Montour, his second assist of the tournament.

Trento capped off the scoring, flipping home a tough angle shot from classmates Patrick Lee and Anthony Petrella with 7.8 seconds remaining in the game.

UMass out-shot the Falcons, 28-22 and went 1-for-2 on the power play, while holding Air Force to a 0-for-3 evening with the man advantage. Freshman Henry Dill picked up the win in net for the Minutemen with 21 saves and Chris Truehl had 23 stops for the Falcons.

UMass will be back in action on Friday, Jan. 2, playing host to Connecticut at 7 p.m. in the Mullins Center, the first ever Hockey East meeting between the schools.