BOSTON, Mass. - Freshman Nick VanTassell netted his first collegiate goal with less than four minutes to play in the third period to help No. 12 University of Massachusetts hockey secure a 2-1 victory over Northeastern on Saturday at Matthews Arena. With the win, the Minutemen improve to 13-6-3 (6-4-2 HE), while the Huskies fall to 7-12-2 (2-11-0).
"That was probably our most complete game of the year," said UMass head coach Greg Carvel. "I thought for two periods we were outstanding and probably deserved to be ahead by a little more than we were. Third period we had adversity. We killed a 5-on-3 and a five-minute penalty. I'm extremely proud of the team. They've grown all year and I think we've reached a point now where they've got a lot of belief in themselves and beating this team here tonight should go a long way."
With Northeastern on the power play late in the first period, sophomore Cole O'Hara intercepted a pass to the point and started a shorthanded 2-on-1 up the ice with junior Ryan Lautenbach. O'Hara fed Lautenbach who was alone in the slot for the score at the 15:29 mark.
The Huskies managed to tie the score at 1-1, 16:49 into the second period. After a stretch of extended offensive zone time for Northeastern, Pito Walton collected the puck from Dylan Hryckowian and sent a cross-ice pass to Brett Edwards who sent a one-timer past freshman netminder Michael Hrabal from the left faceoff circle.
UMass began the third killing off the final 57 seconds of an interference penalty to Lautenbach in addition to a protocol violation minor to start the period. Then at the 6:11 mark, junior Lucas Mercuri was whistled for boarding, which was challenged and elevated to a five-minute major.
Massachusetts' penalty killers preserved the 1-1 tie, finishing the night a perfect 4-for-4 with over 10 minutes shorthanded.
With the clock winding down in regulation, freshman Dans Locmelis picked off a Northeastern outlet pass out of the corner and quickly fed VanTassell who tucked a shot inside the far post at the 16:39 mark.
The teams finished the contest even in shots at 35 apiece. UMass was 0-for-2 on the power play. Hrabal set a new collegiate high in saves with 34 on his 19th birthday and Cameron Whitehead had 33 stops for the Huskies.
The Minutemen will be idle next weekend and will resume action on February 2 at Merrimack.
