Sophomore forward Bobby Trivigno scored two goals for the Minutemen
Massachusetts Skates Past Union, 6-1
Sophomore forward Bobby Trivigno scored two goals for the Minutemen

AMHERST, Mass. - No. 4 University of Massachusetts hockey scored erupted for six goals over the final 40 minutes of the contest to roll to a 6-1 win over Union on Friday night at the Mullins Center. The Minutemen improve to 2-1-0 with the victory, while the loss drops the Dutchmen to 0-5-0.

"I thought our first two games of the year were pretty uneven games and tonight was a much better indication for me as the coach of what this team can be," said UMass head coach Greg Carvel. "We dressed eight freshmen tonight, so I knew it was going to be a really young lineup and really needed to see that group start to figure out how to play at this level. I thought tonight they did and it made us a pretty effective team."

UMass came out of a dominant first period with a 15-5 shot advantage but no goals to show for its efforts. However, just 37 seconds after coming out of the intermission, sophomore Bobby Trivigno poked the puck home on a 2-on-1 off a feed from senior Jack Suter and sophomore Ty Farmer to give the Minutemen a 1-0 advantage.

Trivigno followed with his second of the stanza on the power play at the 10:33 mark, connecting on a one-timer from freshman Zac Jones and Farmer from inside the right faceoff circle.

The Dutchmen trimmed the deficit to 2-1, 14:05 into the second as Sam Morton tucked in a wraparound inside the left post with Anthony Rinaldi and Gabriel Seger collecting the assists.

UMass responded just before the close of the period with freshman Reed Lebster redirecting in a Jones shot with 9.5 seconds remaining. Senior Niko Hildenbrand picked up a helper on the play, as well.

That goal began a stretch of three in a span of 48 seconds of game action as the Minutemen added their fourth and fifth goals 25 seconds and 38 seconds into the final frame. Junior John Leonard drove to the net and scored on a backhand after receiving the puck from Jake McLaughlin and Suter for his first of the season. Jones then followed with a strike from the point off an offensive zone faceoff win by sophomore Anthony Del Gaizo.

Lebster later completed the scoring with his second tally of the contest, another redirection, from sophomore Colin Felix and freshman Cal Kiefiuk at 17:35.

UMass finished with a 47-17 shot advantage and went 1-for-3 on the power play, while Union was 0-for-5. Junior Matt Murray had 16 stops in net for the Minutemen, while Darion Hanson made 39 saves before being relieved by Merek Pipes (two saves) late in the third.

Jones ended the evening with a team-high three points on a goal and two assists, while Trivigno and Lebster both scored two and Farmer and Suter each contributed a pair of helpers.

The teams will close out their weekend set tomorrow, October 19, in the Mullins Center at 7 p.m.

Game Summary

Friday, October 18, 2019

1
6
Game statistics
17 Shots 47
0 / 5 Power Plays 1 / 3
4 / 8 PIM 6 / 12
0-5-0 Records 2-1-0
GOAL SCORERS
Union Massachusetts
Bobby Trivigno (1)
2nd/0:37
Bobby Trivigno (2)
2nd/10:33 PP GW
Sam Morton (2)
2nd/14:05  DP
Reed Lebster (2)
2nd/19:50
John Leonard (1)
3rd/0:25
Zac Jones (2)
3rd/0:38
Reed Lebster (3)
3rd/17:35
GOALTENDERS
Union Massachusetts
Darion Hanson
56:04, 39 Saves, 5 GA
(L, 0-5-0)

Merek Pipes
3:52, 2 Saves, 1 GA

Empty Net
0:04, 0 GA
Matt Murray
59:51, 16 Saves, 1 GA
(W, 1-1-0)

Empty Net
0:09, 0 GA