While some cancellations continue to COVID, several new teams kicked off play this weekend including Norwich, Nichols, and Connecticut College. Action in the UCHC continued with a mix of tight games and a couple of upsets. Here is a summary from this past weekend’s action:
Non-Conference
Castleton v. New England College
The two NEHC rivals played a home-and-home series with the Pilgrims taking both games. On Friday, NEC took a 3-1 lead early in the third period on a goal by Linus Udd Hellgren only to see the Spartans battle back to tie the game at 3-3. Connor Inger and Anton Tarvainen exchanged goals over the final five minutes of regulation to send the game into overtime tied at 4-4. In the extra session Inger scored his second goal of the game for the 5-4 win for the visitors.
Saturday found Inger and the Pilgrim offense in high gear as NEC took the return engagement by an 8-3 score. Inger scored a hat trick and added an assist while defenseman Josh Chamberlain picked up four points with two goals and two assists in the win that leveled the season record at 3-3-0 for the Pilgrims.
Albertus Magnus v. Anna Maria
A seven-goal third period broke open a 2-1 game in an exciting 6-4 win for the Falcons in their debut against Anna Maria. Owen Allan scored twice in the final period, including an empty-net goal to seal the win in the final five seconds.
Massachusetts-Dartmouth v. Southern Maine
The Corsairs and Huskies opened their season with UMD rallying from a 2-1 deficit in the third period to take a 4-2 win on Saturday. After Matt Fuller and Antoine Gignac scored in the second period to give the Huskies a 2-1 lead, the visitors scored three unanswered goals in the third period off the sticks of Jimmy Pelton, Dillon Radin and Kai Kapossy to earn the win. Daniel Davidson made 24 saves and earned the win for UMD.
Connecticut College v. Norwich
The Cadets finally made their debut against Connecticut College and took advantage of a four-goal second period to runaway with a 6-2 win. After Brett Stirling scored early in the second period to tie the game at 1-1, the Cadets scored three in quick succession from Carter Cowlthorp, Felix Brassard and Michael Korol to take a 4-1 lead. Korol’s goal came on a penalty shot and was followed late in the period by a Niks Krollis goal that put the Cadets on cruise control in the final period. Ben Nelson made 18 saves for Norwich to earn the win.
Nichols v. Suffolk
Alex Kolowrat provided the scoring early for Suffolk as his hat trick in the first two periods helped build a 3-1 lead over Nichols. The Bison rallied behind goals from Hunter Fraser and Curtis Carlson before Gavin O’Neill gave the rams the lead for good and Griffin Clark iced the contest with an empty-net goal in the final minute that preserved a 5-3 win.
UCHC
Chatham v. Stevenson
On Thursday, Chatham built a 4-1 lead in the third period and then held on as Stevenson mounted a furious comeback. Michael Lamison extended the Cougar lead early in the third period before Ryan Patrick scored twice in a ten second span to cut the lead to a single goal. Ricardo Gonzalez made sure nothing else got by him in the Cougar goal as he finished with 40 saves in the 4-3 win.
Utica v. Chatham
Sean Dickson made 24 saves to earn the shutout win for Utica over Chatham on Saturday. The Pioneers scored a goal in each period off the sticks of Brett Everson, Buster Larsson, and Brandon Osmundson to earn a 3-0 win over the Cougars.
Elmira v. Neumann
On Friday, Chance Gorman scored shorthanded and power play goals to give Elmira an early 2-0 lead, but Neumann fought back on third period tallies from Auston Boyle and Evan Hoey. Neither team could settle the game in overtime, but Shawn Kennedy and Gorman again beat the Knights’ Kyle Pantelone in the shootout to decide the game
Stevenson v. Wilkes
Chad Watt’s power play goal late in the third period broke a 1-1 tie and led Stevenson to the upset win over Wilkes on Friday night. Ryan Patrick sealed the win with an empty-net goal just 35 seconds later and Ryan Kenny stopped 26 of 27 shots in the 3-1 win for the Mustangs.
Nazareth v. Lebanon Valley
Lebanon Valley rallied with two goals late in the third period to take a 3-2 win over Nazareth on Friday night. Max Loga scored for the Flying Dutchman at the 16-minute mark of the third period to tie the game at 2-2. Riley Johnson scored just over a minute later for the game winning goal to help LVC to open conference play with a win.
Elmira v. Nazareth
Elmira scored early, late, and often in a 10-0 win over Nazareth on Sunday. Shane Haviland led the way with a pair of goals and two assists while Jake Russo picked up a goal and three assists and Nicholas Domitrovic scored twice in the rout. In all fourteen Elmira players picked up points in the win that moved Elmira to 1-0-1 in conference play.
Three Biscuits
Connor Inger – New England College – After picking up the overtime winner on Friday, Inger scored a hat trick and added an assist in the Pilgrims’ 8-3 win over Castleton.
Alex Kolowrat – Suffolk – scored a hat trick in the first two periods of play to help lead the Rams to a 5-3 win over Nichols in their first game of the season.
Shane Haviland – Elmira – picked up four points with a pair of goals and two assists in Elmira’s 10-0 win over Nazareth on Sunday.
It was great to see more teams taking to the ice in formal competition and the UCHC action continues to create excitement for whatever playoff format the conference chooses come the end of March.
