University of Massachusets Athletics
Hockey Game Notes Against UConn on Thursday, Nov. 16
November 14, 2000 | Hockey
Nov. 14, 2000
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THE SCOUTING REPORT ON UCONN
UConn enters the game with a 3-4-1 overall record and a 3-1-1 record in the MAAC. The Huskies have won their last three games after beginning the season winless in their first five. UConn opened the season with three loses to Hockey East opponents. They lost 6-1 to UMass Lowell followed by a pair of loses to Merrimack (6-2, 4-2). The Huskies then tied and lost to Sacred Heart before defeating Bently, Canisius and Fairfield. UConn is led by Michael Goldkind (2g, 9a) and Matt Herhal (6g, 3a). The defense is anchored by goaltender Artie Imbriano (2.87 gaa, .901 save %).
LAST YEAR AGAINST THE HUSKIES
The Minutemen used two unanswered third period goals to break open a one-goal game en route to a 7-4 victory at the Mullins Center on Nov. 19. Jedd Crumb scored the game-winner halfway through the final period and Kris Wallis added another goal later in the third. Martin Miljko and Jeff Turner each netted two goals and Tim Turner scored the other UMass goal. Markus Helanen started the game and made seven saves on 11 shots in the first two periods. Mike Johnson replaced Helanen at the start of the third and stopped all six shots he faced.
ONE GOOD TURN(ER) DESERVES ANOTHER
Brothers, senior captain Jeff Turner (Saginaw, Mich.) and sophomore Tim Turner, are off to a fast start. The two brothers have combined for 21 points through eight games. Tim leads the team with six goals, while Jeff is leading the team with eight assists. Jeff leads the team with 11 points and Tim is in second with 10. Jeff scored the game-winning goal in the first period versus New Hampshire, while Tim netted the game-winner with 14 seconds remaining in overtime against UMass Lowell. Tim has scored a goal in five of the Minutemen's nine games. The brothers opened the season combining for eight points at Wisconsin. Tim netted two goals and three assists and Jeff recorded three assists. They combined for a goal and an assist versus Colgate and two goals and an assist versus Merrimack. They each netted a goal in the series against Nebraska-Omaha. The Turners are both tied for eighth in overall scoring in Hockey East.
QUICK START IN HOCKEY EAST
UMass is off to a quick start in Hockey East this season winning three of its first four league games. The last time the Minutemen began the season 3-1 in Hockey East was 1995-96. Last season, UMass did not record its third league win until Jan. 21 when they defeated Merrimack 5-3.
FINNISH(ING) THE DEAL
Senior goaltender Markus Helanen (Vantaa, Finland) has already doubled his career shutout total this season. He entered the season with two career shutouts and through seven games this season, he has already matched that total. He notched his first career Hockey East shutout on Oct. 27 in a 3-0 win over Merrimack and then recorded another 3-0 shutout last Saturday against then-No. 3 New Hampshire. He stopped 31 shots in the first shutout and 28 versus UNH. Helanen currently has a 2.70 goals against average and a .920 save percentage, while posting a 2-2-1 record on the season. He was named Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week following the shutout of UNH.
GOING AFTER THE BEST
The 3-0 shutout over then-No. 3 New Hampshire on Nov. 4, marked the fifth time since the hockey program was reinstated for the 1993-94 season that the Minutemen have defeated a team in the top five. The game versus UNH marked the Minutemen's fourth game this season against a team ranked in the top five. Here are the five victories against top five teams:
1/28/95 vs. No. 1 Maine, 4-2
2/22/98 vs. No. 3 New Hampshire, 4-3
11/13/98 vs. No. 4 Maine, 2-1
2/26/00 at No. 5 Boston College, 5-1
11/4/00 vs. No.3 New Hampshire, 3-0
NO LUCK VS. NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS
UMass has a 0-4-1 record against non-conference opponents this season. The Minutemen lost two games at Wisconsin to open the season and then followed it with a come-from-behind tie with Colgate. Last weekend, UMass lost a pair of games at Nebraska-Omaha to stay winless in non-conference play. However, UMass is 1-0-0 against UConn since the Huskies elevated their program to Division I. The Minutemen are also 1-0-0 against teams from the MAAC since the league was formed prior to the 1998-99 season.
MAKING IT COUNT
Junior Martin Miljko (Etobicoke, Ontario) has scored at least one point in all six of the games in which he has played. Miljko, who did not make the season-opening trip out to Wisconsin, has taken advantage of his limited playing time. Miljko currently has four goals and five assists for nine points. In his first game of the season he netted two goals, including the game-tying score versus Colgate with less than a minute to go in the third period. He followed it up with an assist in the 3-0 win over Merrimack. He sat out the game at Boston College and then returned to the lineup with a goal versus UMass Lowell. Last Saturday night against New Hampshire, he picked up a pair of assists in the 3-0 win. Last weekend, he had a goal and an assist in the first game and an assist in the second game at Nebraska-Omaha.
THE CAPTAIN
Senior Jeff Turner, who led the team last season in goals (15), shots (110), game-winning goals (four) and was second in assists (19), is the team captain this year. His 34 points were good enough for 15th in overall scoring in Hockey East. He also finished tied for third in the league in shorthanded goals (three) and tied for fifth in game-winning goals. Turner is currently tied for the team lead in points with 11 and leads the team in assists with eight. He recorded three helpers in the Minutemen's season-opening loss to then-No. 3 Wisconsin (10/6) and added three more helpers in the 5-4 overtime win at UMass Lowell (11/3). He also recorded an assist on the game-tying goal against Colgate (10/21). He netted goals in the 3-0 wins over Merrimack (10/27) and then-No. 3 New Hampshire (11/4), including the game-winner on the power play versus the Wildcats. He also scored a goal in the final minute of the 3-2 loss at Nebraska-Omaha (11/10). He is currently in 14th place on the all-time UMass scoring list with 75 points and is 10th in career assists with 44.
NEWCOMERS MAKING AN IMPACT
Four newcomers have made an immediate impact on the team. Freshman Thomas P?ck (Klagenfurt, Austria) has three goals and two assists. Freshman Scott Horvath (West Redding, Conn.) has scored three goals and an assist. Sophomore Jimmy Callahan (Lexington, Mass.), who sat out last season because of an NCAA Clearinghouse issue, has two goals and three assists. Freshman Mike Warner (Waltham, Mass.) has played a regular shift in all nine games and netted his first career point with a goal versus No. 2 Boston College.
PENALTY KILL UNIT STEPPING IT UP
After a slow start to the season, the Minuteman penalty kill unit has started to step up its play as of late. Over the past three games opponents are just one of 22 on the power play (4.5%). UMass held Nebraska-Omaha to a one for 16 showing last weekend. The Minutemen held New Hampshire scoreless on six power play opportunities in the 3-0 win over the Wildcats on Nov. 4. UMass is currently killing penalties at an 81% clip on the season.
PLAYING IT TOUGH
UMass continues to play one of the nation's toughest schedules. The Minutemen played seven games last season against teams in the 2000 Frozen Four. UMass went 2-5 in those games with an impressive 3-2 overtime win against St. Lawrence and a 5-1 victory at Boston College. This season, the Minutemen will play 18 games against teams that were in the 2000 NCAA Tournament. Eight UMass opponents are currently ranked in the top 15. The Minutemen have already played Boston College (#2), Wisconsin (#3), New Hampshire (#3) and Colgate (#12). UMass has a 1-3-1 record against ranked opponents this season and a 2-2-0 record against unranked teams.
THE DON(ING) OF A NEW ERA
Don Cahoon is currently in his first season as head coach of the Minutemen. Cahoon, who coached at Princeton for the past nine years, looks to improve on UMass' 11-20-5 record last season. Cahoon is the second head coach at UMass since the reinstatement of the program in 1993. He has won three NCAA Championships, two as a player (1971 & 1972) and one as a coach (1991) at Boston University. Cahoon's career coaching record is 183-172-37 (.514) in 14 seasons.
PLAYING THE OLD STATE U
There are three players on this year's UMass roster who call the state of Connecticut home. Senior R.J. Gates (Plainville, Conn.), sophomore J.R. Zavisza (Suffield, Conn.) and freshman Scott Horvath (West Redding, Conn.) were all born and raised in the Constitution state.
