University of Massachusets Athletics
Hockey Game Notes for Saturday Night at Rensselear
November 17, 2000 | Hockey
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THE SCOUTING REPORT ON RENSSELEAR
Rensselear enters the game with a 3-3-0 overall record and a 1-2-0 mark in ECAC league play. The Engineers opened the season with a 5-4 victory over Boston University. RPI then lost to UMass Lowell 4-3, before rebounding with a 3-0 win over Army. Following a 4-2 loss to Union, the Engineers defeated Colgate 3-2. Last Saturday night, RPI lost to Cornell 3-1. The Engineers are 2-1-0 at Houston Field House this season. Their offense is led by junior Matt Murley (4g, 4a), sophomore Marc Cavosie (5g, 2a), sophomore Nolan Graham (3g, 4a), junior Jim Vickers (1g, 6a) and sophomore Carson Butterwick (2g, 3a). The defense is anchored by a pair of freshman goaltenders. Nathan Marsters has played in four games recording a 2-2-0 record with an .891 save percentage and a 2.78 goals against average. Kevin Kurk has played in two games recording a 1-1-0 record with an .887 save percentage and a 3.02 goals against average.
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 22 points through ten games. Tim leads the team with seven goals, while Jeff is leading the team with eight assists. Jeff and Tim are tied for the team lead in points with 11. 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 10 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.
UMASS AGAINST THE ECAC
The Minutemen are 24-75-5 (.255) all-time against teams currently in the ECAC conference. The only school UMass has a winning record against is Rensselear, who the Minutemen are 5-1-0 against all-time.
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 No. 1 Maine 4-2
2/22/98 No. 3 New Hampshire 4-3
11/13/98 No. 4 Maine 2-1
2/26/00 at No. 5 Boston College 5-1
11/4/00 No.3 New Hampshire 3-0
NO LUCK VS. NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS
UMass has a 0-4-2 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 went 3-1-1 last season against teams in the ECAC. The Minutemen defeated Union, Harvard and St. Lawrence and teid Vermont. The lone loss last season was a 3-2 defeat to Colgate in the season-opener.
MAKING IT COUNT
Junior Martin Miljko (Etobicoke, Ontario) has scored at least one point in five of the six 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 four goals and three assists. Freshman Scott Horvath (West Redding, Conn.) has scored three goals and and two assists. Sophomore Jimmy Callahan (Lexington, Mass.), who sat out last season because of an NCAA Clearinghouse issue, has two goals and four 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 four games opponents are just one of 24 on the power play (4.2%). Thursday, the Minutemen held UConn scoreless in two power play attempts. UMass held Nebraska-Omaha to a one for 16 showing last weekend. They also 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 82% 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 2-2-1 record against unranked teams.
THE LAST TIME ON THE ICE FOR UMASS
Junior defenseman Luke Duplessis (Framingham, Mass.) and freshman forward Thomas P?ck each netted a goal and an assist in the 2-2 tie with UConn this Thursday night at the Mullins Center. The Huskies scored two third period goals to earn a tie with the Minutemen.
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 183-172-38 (.514) in 14 seasons.
