Ryan Carter netted a hat trick to lead Iona College past the University of Connecticut, 8-3, in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game Friday evening.
UConn, having dropped three of its last four games, falls to 5-7-2 overall, 5-4-1 in the MAAC, while Iona improves to 8-6-2 overall, 7-4-2 in conference action.
UConn’s Michael Goldkind opened the scoring with just 23 seconds into the game, blanking Iona’s goaltender Ben Brady. Ron D’Angelo and Michael Anderson assisted on the tally.
Iona tied the score at the 13:18 mark on a shot by Carter, and the Gaels took the lead just over two minutes later when Mark Hallam nailed a shot through Connecticut’s Artie Imbriano’s legs.
Carter netted his second goal of the evening at the 6:43mark to raise the score to 3-1 in the Gael’s favor. Anthony Switek brought Connecticut within one catching the Iona defense and goalie down slipping it into the back of the net. Anders Johnson and Herhal assisted Switek on the goal. With six seconds remaining in the second stanza, Ryan Manitowich broke out in front of the Husky defense, notching a shorthanded goal to end the period.
Carter scored his third goal for the hat trick 2:46 into the third period. Eric Nelson closed the UConn gap on a power play two minutes later netting a backhanded shot with help from Herhal and Goldkind. Iona then took command of the game when Jean Paul Chaput scored a power-play goal at 8:43, followed by a Chad Nordhagen tally two minutes later to raise the score to 7-3.
Iona added an empty-net goal at 17:16 by Erik Nates.
Connecticut and Iona will meet again on Saturday evening at the UConn Ice Arena in Storrs in a game slated to begin at 7:30 p.m.
