STORRS, Conn. - University of New Hampshire's Jackson Pierson scored the game tying goal in the third period and then the overtime game-winner to deal the UConn Huskies a 2-1 loss Saturday afternoon at the Freitas Ice Forum.
The Huskies take four of the six Hockey East points on the weekend with the overtime loss and are now 3-5-1 on the year. The Wildcats even their record at 2-2-1 on the year.
UConn got their first power play goal in four games as junior Marc Gatcomb (Woburn, Mass.) gave the Huskies a 1-0 lead in the second period. UNH found the equalizer in the third as Pierson scored his first of the day at 12:48 to pull the game even.
Just 1:01 into the 3x3 overtime, the Huskies took a boarding penalty to give the Wildcats a power play and they took advantage 44 seconds later. Pierson ended it at the 1:45 mark, burying one in the slot. UNH goaltender Mike Robinson made 36 saves to earn the win.
UConn finished 1-for-3 on the power play and held a 37-33 shot edge in the loss. Junior goaltender Tomas Vomacka (Trutnov, Czech Republic) stopped 31 shots on the night.
1st period:
The Huskies and Wildcats played a scoreless first period with UConn coming up empty on a pair of power play chances.
2nd period:
UConn finally cracked the scoring column on the power play on their third chance of the afternoon, ending an 0-16 streak with the extra skater dating back to the UMass Lowell win on December 21. Junior Carter Turnbull (Nanaimo, British Columbia) threw the puck to net from the high point where Jachym Kondelik (Budejovice, Czech Republic) got his stick on it in front. The rebound popped out to Gatcomb in the slot who slammed it home for his third on the year and a 1-0 lead at 5:35.
The Huskies killed off three UNH power plays in the second period including a 5-on-3 to close out the period.
3rd period:
The Wildcats finally cracked Vomacka at the 12:48 mark as Pierson finished off a great feed from Angus Crookshank. UNH broke the puck out of the zone and quickly up the ice as Crookshank carried up the right wing. Breaking for the goal, he shot a quick pass to a trailing Pierson in the slot area who buried a one-time chance top-shelf, stick side to knot the game at 1-1.
OT:
The Huskies went a man down in overtime thanks to a boarding call on Jonny Evans (North Delta, British Columbia) at the 1:01 mark. With a 4-on-3 advantage, the puck cycled back to Pierson who stepped into the high slot and buried one through traffic to give his team a 2-1 win and two points on the night.
