BOSTON - Sophomore goaltender Michael Hrabal stopped all 32 shots he faced to help Massachusetts hockey shut out No. 11 Boston University for the first time in program history, 4-0 on Saturday at Agganis Arena. With the win, the Minutemen improve to 8-6-2 on the season, 2-4-2 in Hockey East play, while the Terriers drop to 8-6-1 overall and 4-3-1 in league action.
"I've told our beat writers a lot here lately that I like this team," said UMass head coach Greg Carvel. "I know our record is not where it should be. I do like this team a lot. I thought tonight was a great example. To come in here and beat a high-quality team and beat them the way we did. Discipline was a big factor. The power play was a big factor. I was telling somebody before the game, I wish we got more power plays, because I think our power play is pretty good, and tonight was a big difference. But Michael Hrabal was outstanding. I'm very proud of our guys. We came in here with a game plan and they executed it really well. That's a solid win."
UMass opened the scoring 4:45 into the first period when senior Lucas Mercuri sent an outlet pass ahead to Michael Cameron who went on a rush up the ice with Ryan Lautenbach. Cameron's initial shot was saved by Mathieu Caron, but Lautenbach was there to clean up the loose puck at the back post.
The Terriers appeared to have leveled the score at one with 11:11 to go in the opening frame, but following a challenge by the Minutemen, the call on the ice was overturned for goaltender interference. In total on the night, five goals were disallowed for goaltender interference, three for UMass and two for BU.
After Boston University's Brandon Svoboda was sent off for a major for cross checking late in the second period, the Minutemen capitalized twice on their second five minute power play of the night. First, Mercuri sent the puck up to Francesco Dell'Elce at the point and he worked to create space along the blueline before feeding freshman Daniel Jencko for the one-timer at the right faceoff dot at 17:35.
Moments later, junior Lucas Ölvestad made it 3-0, redirecting home a feed from Mercuri and Dell'Elce at the far post at 19:14.
UMass capped the scoring with another power-play goal 9:20 into the third. Junior Kenny Connors picked a corner from the top of the slot for his first tally of the season with sophomore Aydar Suniev and junior Cole O'Hara collecting the assists.
The Minutemen finished the contest with a 37-32 edge in shots on goal and went 3-for-7 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
Mercuri ended the night with three assists for a career high, while Dell'Elce had two helpers for his third multi-point game of the year.
The teams will be back in action on Wednesday, December 11, squaring off at the Mullins Center in a contest that will be broadcast on NESN at 7 p.m.
