The Daily Campus

Issue date: 2/27/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Carolyn Wilke Michael Coppola handles the puck against Canisus on Feb. 20.

After the men's hockey team's most recent win, a 4-3 come-from-behind overtime victory over Canisus, coach Bruce Marshall was quick to mention that his team almost gave away the game with costly penalties.

Despite the mistakes, the Huskies came away with the win, their second in three games, and head into the final weekend before the playoffs with as much momentum as they have had since the first weekend.

The penalties, as has been the case all season, were a point of emphasis for Marshall in practice all week.

"Questionable calls are part of the game and you have to live with them," Marshall said. "What you can't live with are the ones that you take that you didn't have to and that's what's been hurting us."

UConn (8-25-1, 7-18-1 Atlantic Hockey) faces Bentley in a home-and-home series to close out the regular season beginning Friday night at 7:05 at Freitas Ice Forum and concluding Saturday at 7:05 at Bentley.

The Falcons (17-14-1, 5-10-1) come into the weekend with a lot at stake. Bentley, who currently sits in fourth place in the conference, needs just one point to secure home-ice advantage in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.

Although the Huskies have been playing well as a team, two stand outs have been making it possible over the past week - Sean Erickson and Chris Ochoa. Erickson, who scored UConn's overtime winner against Canisus last weekend, was named Atlantic Hockey Player of the Week for the first time in his career. The senior captain finished the weekend with five points on two goals and three assists.

Marshall hopes the team can use the momentum and play with a sense of urgency as well.

"I hope there is some desperation," Marshall said. "We played three good games last week and I think we could have won all three. Hopefully that carries over to this weekend and into the playoffs."

Bentley is led by a pair of goaltenders, freshman Kyle Rank and sophomore Joe Calvi. Rank was recently named Atlantic Hockey Goaltender of the Week after he held Mercyhurst, the nation's leading scorers, to just one goal in a 3-1 win Feb. 21 as well as only allowing one goal to Air Force on Feb. 16. Calvi has also earned the distinction twice on the season.

Marshall says the key to beating such good goaltending is just to take as many shots as possible.

"We're have to send a lot of pucks to the net," Marshall said. "They don't necessarily have to be quality shots but if we create some havoc in front of the net anything can happen."

The last time the two met, the Huskies needed a last minute goal as well as overtime to come away with the 2-1 victory. Bentley jumped out to a 1-0 lead and in the final minute, Marshall took a risk and pulled goaltender Beau Erickson. The risk paid off and Marcello Ranallo scored a goal with just 35 seconds left in regulation to push the game to overtime.

Sophomore Matt Miller would send UConn home with the win on a shorthanded goal 2 minutes, 24 seconds into overtime.

Before that, the Falcons came away with a close 1-0 win at Bentley in November.

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