University of Massachusets Athletics
LIVE GAME BLOG: UMass Hockey vs. Bemidji State
December 28, 2008 | Hockey
Dec. 28, 2008
HELPFUL LINKS:
After a long two-week lay-off for exams and Christmas break, it is hockey time as UMass faces Bemidji State at the Dartmouth Ledyard National Bank Classic. Glad to have you with us if you could not make the trip. As a reminder, the game is aired live on 100.9 WRNX FM with live stats and video available at www.DartmouthSports.com. This is the first ever meeting between the two hockey programs and the Minutemen are looking to keep their two game win streak alive as we close the books on 2008.
3:30 PM: It's good to be back in the rink after the lay-off. John Sinnett and Matt Houde of the Media Relations Department here to help bring you the action if you can't make it to Dartmouth.
It's been a pretty quick day with the 4 PM face-off time. The team had breakfast at 8 AM before a brief skate around at 9:30. A pre-game meal of pasta, chicken and salad followed before a little down time at the hotel to watch the first quarter of the Patriots game and before you knew it, we were back at the rink.
UMass will be the home team today and is dressed in white sweaters with maroon trim and maroon shorts and helmets. Bemidji State is doing it's best impression of host-school Dartmouth with Green sweaters, green shorts, and green helmets with white trim.
The Beavers were a little delayed yesterday getting into town as there was some rough weather in the midwest. If you haven't heard of Bemidji State, they are located in Minnesota with an enrollment of 15,000. Unfortunately, they missed the tournament banquet which was a nice treat where the other three tournament teams had dinner, the coaches of each team spoke, and we were greated by our hosts for the weekend.
That's it for now, back in a bit with the starting line-ups.
3:48 PM: The starters today for UMass are Marc Concannon (left wing), Brett Watson (center), Scott Crowder (right wing), Topher Bevis (left defense), John Wessbecker (right defense) and Paul Dainton in goal.
The starters for Bemidji will be Tyler Scofield (left wing), Matt Read (center), Matt Francis (right wing), Cody Bostock (left defense), Brad Hunt (right defense) and Matt Dalton in goal.
In keeping up with our alums who are playing in the pro leagues, Jon Quick earned his second shutout of the season last night with a 4-0 win over Phoenix Coyotes. Quick made 26 saves for his second shutout in three games this year with the Kings. He now has a 1.88 goals against average and a .933 save percentage in five NHL games this season. He now has eight NHL games under his belt with a 2.58 goals against average and a .906 save percentage.
Two minutes until face-off...
4:02 PM: UMass gets on the scoreboard first with a Cory Quirk goal just 1:02 into the action. He now needs nine more points for 100 in his career. Alex Berry and Justin Braun were credited with the assists as Braun sent a pass up the right boards out of the defensive zone. Berry fought off a defender and flipped it up ahead to Quirk who crashed the right side of the goal.
4:05 PM: After a UMass penalty, Brandon Marino scores a power play goal to tie the game at 1-1 with 4:29 played in the game. It is just the second power play goal UMass has allowed in the last seven games as the Minutemen have killed off 21-of-23 penalties.
4:12 PM: The crowd here is still filling into Thompson Arena which holds 4,500 fans. There is a large contingent of fans wearing Maroon and making some noise for the Minutemen.
The crowd just let out a big oooh as James Marcou was whistled for offsides after a Berry pass put him 1-on-1 with BSU goalie Dalton as the Minutemen took advantage of the Beaver defensive line change.
4:19 PM: Bemidji State goes up 2-1 now after Matt Read put home the rebound off a Tyler Scofield shot. Sccofield's initial shot was saved, but bounced into the crease to the left side where Read was waiting.
4:22 PM: UMass gets a power play with 3:34 left in the first period after a tripping call on Graham McManamin. The Minutemen are 1-for-16 on the extra man advantage in the last four games.
4:25 PM: No dice on the power play and no luck in the final minute of the period. UMass goes into the locker room trailing Bemidji State 2-1 after the first period. The Minutemen hold a 10-to-6 edge in shots and are 10-of-19 at the face-off dots. BSU was 1-for-1 on the power play, while UMass was 0-for-1. Dainton made four saves, while Dalton made nine.
This is the fifth-straight game for the Beavers to score a power play goal. In the previous four games, BSU is averaging 3.0 goals per game.
4:46 PM: Underway here in the second period...
4:51 PM: UMass takes a big penalty here as Alex Berry is given a 5-minute major and a game-disqualification for hitting from behind. Berry was thrown out of the game and Chase Langeraap will serve the penalty as Bemidji State has a five minute power play.
4:54 PM: BSU tallies its second power play goal of the game to take a 3-1 lead with 15 minutes left in the second period. Travis Winter netted the goal.
UMass does have three shorthanded goals in the last three games, so let's see if that streak can help out the Minutemen. Just under 3 minutes left on the power play.
5:01 PM: The major is finally killed off and no further damage was done. UMass is still down 3-1 with just over 10 minutes left in the third period. It looks as if Chase Langeraap will be staying in Berry's spot in the line-up for the rest of the game.
5:03 PM: UMass is called for another penalty as Justin Braun is called for holding with just under nine minutes left in the second period.
5:06 PM: Justin Braun jumps out of the box as the penalty expires and scores an even-strength goal to pull UMass within a goal, 3-2. Braun took the initial shot that rebounded out to Chris Davis on the left hand side of the crease. Davis slid a pass back to Braun who crashed the right post flipping a shot up under the cross bar for the score with 6:37 left in the period.
5:14 PM: 1:39 left in the second period and things are getting physical with bodies flying every where and both team's playing extremely hard right now.
5:16 PM: Unfortunately, some of that aggression has resulted in a UMass penalty with 49 seconds left as Martin Nolet is called for roughing.
5:17 PM: End of the second period and Bemidji State leads 3-2. Each team netted a goal in the period. UMass still leads in shots 20-to-14 and has won 21-of-38 face-offs. The downside to the period was UMass' four penalties for 19 minutes including the five-minute major and game-disqualification of Alex Berry.
5:36 PM: UMass kills off the remainder of the period and then gets an advantage as Cody Bostock is whistled for interference giving UMass its second power play of the game.
5:40 PM: UMass is unable to capitalize on the power play. Ben Kinne one-timed a Shea Walters pass from a tough angle near the left goal line to give Bemidji State a 4-2 lead with 15 minutes left in the third period.
5:44 PM: Cory Quirk is called for cross checking with 13:30 left in the third period.
5:49 PM: BSU is called for a 10-minute misconduct on Tyler Scofield with 10:22 left in the third period.
5:53 PM: With 8:05 remaining, UMass gets some space as BSU's Matt Francis is called for tripping giving UMass its third power play of the game.
5:56 PM: Just under six minutes left as UMass was unable to convert on the power play and we are back to even strength.
6:00 PM: We have 3:20 left in the third period and UMass is still down 4-2 as Bemidji has been playing tough defense late not allowing any serious threats from UMass.
6:03 PM: UMass calls timeout with 1:54 remaining. Dainton has been motioning to the bench to come off in favor of the extra man. Shades of the St. Lawrence game where UMass scored a pair of goals in the final 1:30 of the game.
6:06 PM: UMass unleashes a flurry of shots in front of the goal, but between Dalton's saves and a couple of blocks, the Minutemen aren't able to find another goal. The final buzzer sounds and Bemidji State holds on for a 4-2 win in the first game of the Ledyard Bank Classic. It is the sixth straight win for the Beavers and their first win over a Hockey East team since 2003. UMass will face either Army or Dartmouth tomorrow at 4 PM in the tournament's consolation game.
Thanks for joining us this afternoon and we'll be back in the press box tomorrow afternoon. Have a good evening!