DURHAM, N.H. - Senior Jackson Pierson (Zionsville, Ind.) scored the game-winning overtime goal as the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team defeated No. 8 and defending national champion UMass, 2-1, at the Whittemore Center on Saturday evening.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 5-7-1 (3-5-1 Hockey East), while the Minutemen fall to 7-4-1 (5-2-1 Hockey East).
UP NEXT:
- The Wildcats return to action when they play at No. 16 Harvard on Friday, Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. Then UNH will return to the Whittemore Center to take on Holy Cross on Saturday, Nov. 27 at 7 p.m. presented by EnviroVantage on College SportsLive.
Score: New Hampshire 2, #8 UMass 1 (OT)
Records: UNH (5-7-1, 3-5-1 Hockey East); UMass (7-4-1, 5-2-1 Hockey East)
Location: Durham, N.H. (Whittemore Center)
Date: Saturday, November 20, 2021
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Attendance: 4,316
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- At 17:30 of the first period, the Wildcats took a 1-0 lead when junior defenseman Kalle Eriksson (Leksand, Sweden) sent the puck to the net as freshman Liam Devlin (Needham, Mass.) tipped it from right in front of the crease past the glove side of UMass goalie Matt Murray. Pierson also posted an assist on the goal. Devlin now has three goals.
- With 1.1 seconds left in regulation, UMass tied the game at 1-1 when Scott Morrow recovered the puck and fired it to the back of the net at the top of the circle.
- Just 37 seconds after the start of the overtime, Pierson won the game for the 'Cats as he redirected a shot by senior Eric MacAdams (Salem, Mass.) from in front of the crease to the stick side of the net for the 2-1 overtime win. The goal was the fifth of the season for Pierson.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Senior goalie Mike Robinson (Bedford, N.H.) was outstanding in net as he made 32 saves, while Murray posted 20.
- UMass outshot UNH by a 33-22 margin.
- The Wildcats went 0-4 on the power play, while the Minutemen went 0-7.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- This is the second time this season the Wildcats defeated the No. 8 team in the nation on an overtime goal by Pierson as UNH also won 2-1 in OT versus No. 8 Providence at the Whitt on Oct. 30.
- Pierson now has six career game-winning goals.
- This was Pierson's 17th multi-point game.
- UNH is 5-2-1 this season at the Whittemore Center.
- The Wildcats are 92-28-12 all-time versus the Minutemen.
- UNH is 2-0-1 in overtime this season.
