Spring Break
Men's Hockey Back To Square One
Kevin Duffy
Issue date: 2/8/08 Section: Sports
The men's hockey team was finally finding its groove. The young Huskies, who feature 14 freshmen, had finally turned the corner and were riding a four-game unbeaten streak heading into last weekend's road trip to West Point. But then the unthinkable happened.
Nine Army goals and two embarrassing blowouts later, UConn's momentum came to a screeching halt and its spirits were crashed.
"We're back to October all over again," said head coach Bruce Marshall. "This past weekend was extremely disappointing in terms of the way we handled ourselves during the games and our decision making. It's almost like we dropped the plate into a thousand pieces all over the floor and we have to glue it back together before mom and dad get home."
UConn's (8-15-3, 7-10-3 Atlantic Hockey Association) opportunity for redemption starts tonight, when they welcome Sacred Heart (10-13-3,10-7-3) to the Freitas Ice Forum at 7 p.m. for the first game of a home-and-home series with the Pioneers.
Turning the momentum around against Sacred Heart will be no easy feat. The Pioneers come into the game averaging 2.7 goals and 30 shots per game in comparison to the Huskies' 1.8 goals and 22 shots.
"We don't generate enough shots," Marshall said. "We've got to go to the net, we need to get hungry around the net, crash the puck, and play with more energy. We can't have [goalie] Beau Erickson taking 70-75 shots in a weekend and expect to come out on top all of the time."
Erickson, one of the bright spots for the Huskies all year long, was named National Player of the Week by Inside College Hockey prior to the Army game for allowing just one goal in 71 shots in two games against RIT.
Erickson's impressive award didn't intimidate Army, however. The Black Knights came at the UConn goaltender strong, and though he registered 83 saves in the two-game set, he let in nine goals and didn't receive nearly enough offense to ease the pressure. UConn found the back of the net just once in two games.
Nine Army goals and two embarrassing blowouts later, UConn's momentum came to a screeching halt and its spirits were crashed.
"We're back to October all over again," said head coach Bruce Marshall. "This past weekend was extremely disappointing in terms of the way we handled ourselves during the games and our decision making. It's almost like we dropped the plate into a thousand pieces all over the floor and we have to glue it back together before mom and dad get home."
UConn's (8-15-3, 7-10-3 Atlantic Hockey Association) opportunity for redemption starts tonight, when they welcome Sacred Heart (10-13-3,10-7-3) to the Freitas Ice Forum at 7 p.m. for the first game of a home-and-home series with the Pioneers.
Turning the momentum around against Sacred Heart will be no easy feat. The Pioneers come into the game averaging 2.7 goals and 30 shots per game in comparison to the Huskies' 1.8 goals and 22 shots.
"We don't generate enough shots," Marshall said. "We've got to go to the net, we need to get hungry around the net, crash the puck, and play with more energy. We can't have [goalie] Beau Erickson taking 70-75 shots in a weekend and expect to come out on top all of the time."
Erickson, one of the bright spots for the Huskies all year long, was named National Player of the Week by Inside College Hockey prior to the Army game for allowing just one goal in 71 shots in two games against RIT.
Erickson's impressive award didn't intimidate Army, however. The Black Knights came at the UConn goaltender strong, and though he registered 83 saves in the two-game set, he let in nine goals and didn't receive nearly enough offense to ease the pressure. UConn found the back of the net just once in two games.
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