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University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
#7 Vermont
UMass Hockey Falls To No. 7 Vermont, 2-1
January 23, 2009 | Hockey
Jan. 23, 2009
BURLINGTON, Vt. - The UMass Hockey team fell to No. 7 Vermont 2-1 on Friday night at Gutterson Field House. Alex Berry scored the lone goal for the Minutemen with three minutes remaining in regulation, while Paul Dainton made 17 saves in goal for UMass (10-11-2, 5-7-2 HEA). Rob Madore got the start in goal for Vermont, making 25 saves. The teams will square off again tomorrow night in the season finale. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7 PM.
Massachusetts outshot the Catamounts (14-5-2, 9-4-2 HEA) 26-19 for the game, including an 11-4 shot advantage during the third period. The Minutemen were 0-8 on the power play while the Catamounts were 1-for-4 on the man-advantage. UMass held a slight edge in faceoffs, winning 31 of the 58 total draws.
While the Minutemen came out aggressive during the opening minutes of the first period, Vermont began to take control as the stanza wore on. The Catamounts pressured the Minuteman defense and prevented UMass from clearing the puck out of harm's way. Dainton was forced to make several big saves, but the home team did manage to sneak one by the UMass netminder near the midway mark of the period.
UMass was awarded a brief power play with eight minutes to play after Brett Watson was released from the penalty box, but it was the Catamounts that ended up taking advantage of an odd-man situation. When the Minutemen went on a line-change after dumping the puck into the Vermont zone, Justin Milo and Wahsontiio Stacey went in on a 2-on-1. Stacey hit Milo with a pass near the top of the left faceoff dot, and Milo ripped a shot that beat Dainton glove side for the score.
Vermont continued to apply pressure during the second period, putting pucks on goal and challenging Dainton multiple times. The Catamounts took a two-goal lead with 7:24 remaining in the period while on the power play. After winning the faceoff, Dean Strong fed Corey Carlson with a pass to the point. Carlson let a shot go that found its way through traffic and past Dainton for the score.
The Minutemen also had some chances during the period, the best chance coming when Alex Berry shot the puck from the slot that caught the post.
UMass picked up the tempo in the third period by generating offensive chances and getting pucks to the net. They were able to net a goal with three minutes remaining, but could not notch the equalizer. The Minutemen were awarded several power play opportunities throughout the final frame, but the Catamount penalty kill kept the Minutemen at bay.
With three minutes to play in the third, Berry scored his eighth goal of the season after Vermont couldn't clear the zone. When the Catamounts attempted to clear the puck out of its zone, Doug Kublin leapt at the blueline to keep the puck in the Vermont zone. Kublin then gathered the puck and passed it to James Marcou. Marcou found Berry down low, who patiently made Madore commit, and then slid the puck through him for the score.
