SATURDAY RECAP: On a night of overtimes, Merrimack upsets No. 5 UMass, No. 4 Michigan outlasts No. 17 WMU, No. 9 BU rallies past No. 18 UMass Lowell

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No. 9 Boston University celebrates Lane Hudson’s overtime game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over No. 18 UMass Lowell. Hutson scored late in regulation to force the extra session. (Photo: BU Athletics/Caroline Fernandez)

Overtime was the theme of Saturday as three key games featured late goals to force overtime with some favorites holding serve, but unranked Merrimack finding the game-winner to hand No. 5 Massachusetts its first loss of the season.

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Merrimack 2, No. 5 Massachusetts 1 (OT)

Mac Welsher scored the game-tying goal with 32 seconds remaining in regulation and Ben Brar delivered the game-winner at 3:37 of overtime as Merrimack hand UMass its first loss of the season, 2-1.

A night after UMass survived on home ice on Taylor Makar’s overtime game-winning goal, the Warriors enacted their form of revenge in North Andover.

UMass grabbed the 1-0 lead early in the second on Reed Lebster’s third goal of the season, an unassisted tally, at 3:15.

That’s where the game stood until the final minute of regulation.

 

Merrimack never led all weekend yet, in the end, splits the six available points with the Minutemen. It was the first loss of the season for UMass, which falls to 5-1-1 on the season. Merrimack improves to 4-3-0 overall.

No. 4 Michigan 6, No. 19 Western Michigan 5 (OT)

In a highly-anticipated weekend series between two of Michigan’s in-state rivals, Michigan bounced back from letting slip a two-goal, third-period lead to earn a 6-5 overtime victory on Luke Hughes overtime tally at 3:27 of the extra session.

Combined with a 5-4 victory in Ann Arbor in Friday, Michigan completes the two-game sweep of Western Michigan, in a series where offense was king and defense seemed optional.

Rutger McGroarty registered a hat trick for Michigan and Adam Fantilli added two goals. Ryan McAllister scored twice and added an assist for Western Michigan.

The weekend series between these two teams was highly anticipated after Michigan canceled its matchup against Western Michigan last December when the Wolverines were missing a large number of players during World Juniors.

No. 1 Minnesota 4, No. 11 Ohio State 2

The visiting Gophers jumped out to a 3-1 lead through two periods and never looked back, earning a 4-2 victory over Ohio State to earn a weekend split with the Buckeyes.

Jimmy Snuggerud notched a goal and two assists and Jackson LaCombe added a goal and assist for Minnesota. Justen Close earned the victory making 20 saves.

Ohio State was hampered by penalties on the evening, giving the Gophers eight power play attempts that resulted in a single goal. Joe Junlap was ejected from the game in the third period after receiving a major penalty for kneeing with 5:27 remaining.

No. 9 Boston University 2, No. 18 UMass Lowell 1 (OT)

Despite being stymied for much of the night and the weekend, Boston University’s offense – and in particular Lane Hutson – woke up at the right time.

Hutson scored an extra-attacker goal with 2:09 left in regulation and then added the overtime game-winner at 2:29 of the extra session as the Terriers earned the weekend series split with UMass Lowell, 2-1.

The River Hawks, who won on Friday by an identical 2-1 score, seemed poised to walk away with a sweep when Matt Crasa broke the scoreless deadlock late in the second period.

But BU had plenty of chances in the third, outshooting Lowell, 16-3, and even appeared to have the regulation game-winner with 5.8 seconds when Chase McCarthy’s goal was eventually disallowed for goalie interference.

Arizona State 3, No. 6 North Dakota 2

Robert Mastrosimone’s goal 24 seconds into the third period broke a 2-2 tie as Arizona State rallied from 2-0 down to upset No. 6 North Dakota, 3-2, in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game in Las Vegas.

In front of a partisan North Dakota crowd, the Sun Devils fell behind early on goals by Gavin Main and Jake Schmaltz just 2:03 apart midway through the first period.

But Arizona State responded to cut the deficit to one when Matthew Kopperud tallied with 3:35 remaining in the first. Lukas Sillinger evened the score at 10:31 of the the second period, giving the Arizona State fans in the packed T-Mobile Arena plenty to cheer about.

Arizona State limited the Fighting Hawks to just 15 shots on goal as the Sun Devils defense blocked a remarkable 22 shot attempts.

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