Spring Break
Huskies pick up rare win on Senior Night
Kevin Vellturo
Issue date: 3/2/09 Section: Sports
The UConn men's hockey team is arguably playing their best hockey of the year. It has been three games since their last loss, and with a win and a tie this weekend against Bentley. Their record over the last five games is 3-1-1; this success could not have come at a better time.
Friday night the Huskies jumped out to a fast 3-0 lead and did not look back as they sent their seniors, Sean Erickson, Nick Schneider, Jordan Beiler and B.J. Bayers, home with a 4-1 win in their final home game.
Though it was senior night, underclassmen led the way on Friday. Freshman Bobby Reiners put the Huskies on top at 13 minutes, 39 seconds in the first period with a backhanded shot in the upper right corner.
The first period was penalty free - something that has been very rare for UConn this year. The Huskies took only three penalties the entire game, compared to Bentley's four.
Coach Bruce Marshall was grateful the referees allowed a more physical game.
"I think the refs did a good job of letting it be a college hockey game," Marshall said. "There was a scrap in front of the goal where they could have thrown a few guys in the box but they let them play."
UConn added two goals less than 30 seconds into the second period, pushing the lead to 3-0. Freshman Jeff Sapieha scored his first goal, one of his three points of the night, which Schneider quickly followed with another. The senior forced a turnover in the neutral zone, which led to a two-on-one with Schneider and freshman Daniel Naurato. Schneider dished it to Naurato for what Marshall said was one the nicest goals of the season.
The Huskies scored four goals on the reigning Atlantic Hockey Goaltender of the Week, Kyle Rank - who had allowed only one goal to the conference's leading scores Mercyhurst. They did it by taking as many shots as possible, 32; something Marshall said had to be done.
"When you throw pucks to the net stuff happens," Marshall said. "We got two goals because we put pucks at the net and were able to hammer away at it."
Friday night the Huskies jumped out to a fast 3-0 lead and did not look back as they sent their seniors, Sean Erickson, Nick Schneider, Jordan Beiler and B.J. Bayers, home with a 4-1 win in their final home game.
Though it was senior night, underclassmen led the way on Friday. Freshman Bobby Reiners put the Huskies on top at 13 minutes, 39 seconds in the first period with a backhanded shot in the upper right corner.
The first period was penalty free - something that has been very rare for UConn this year. The Huskies took only three penalties the entire game, compared to Bentley's four.
Coach Bruce Marshall was grateful the referees allowed a more physical game.
"I think the refs did a good job of letting it be a college hockey game," Marshall said. "There was a scrap in front of the goal where they could have thrown a few guys in the box but they let them play."
UConn added two goals less than 30 seconds into the second period, pushing the lead to 3-0. Freshman Jeff Sapieha scored his first goal, one of his three points of the night, which Schneider quickly followed with another. The senior forced a turnover in the neutral zone, which led to a two-on-one with Schneider and freshman Daniel Naurato. Schneider dished it to Naurato for what Marshall said was one the nicest goals of the season.
The Huskies scored four goals on the reigning Atlantic Hockey Goaltender of the Week, Kyle Rank - who had allowed only one goal to the conference's leading scores Mercyhurst. They did it by taking as many shots as possible, 32; something Marshall said had to be done.
"When you throw pucks to the net stuff happens," Marshall said. "We got two goals because we put pucks at the net and were able to hammer away at it."
Be the first to comment on this story