University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
9-20-2, 4-15-1
#12 Providence
19-10-2, 11-7-1
UMass Hockey Drops OT Heartbreaker At #12 Providence, 3-2
February 20, 2015 | Hockey
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - UMass hockey held a 2-1 lead, but #12 Providence came up with the tying goal with eight seconds to play in the third and then defeated the Minutemen in overtime, 3-2. The loss leaves UMass at 9-20-2 overall, 4-15-1 in Hockey East, while the Friars improve to 19-10-2 on the year and 11-7-1 in league play.
Junior Shane Walsh and senior Zack LaRue provided the goals for the Minutemen in the setback. Walsh's marked his 12th of the season, his 10th tally since Jan. 2, a 13-game span. LaRue's goal was his fifth of the year and first since being sidelined for five games due to an illness. Freshman Dominic Trento picked up an assist on Walsh's goal, his seventh point in the past seven games, while junior Ben Gallacher contributed his fourth assist in the past six contests.
After Providence controlled much of the possession through the early stages of the first period, UMass took a 1-0 lead at the 7:27 mark. Collecting an outlet pass from Gallacher, Trento gave the puck to Walsh who fired one underneath Jon Gillies from the right wing.
The Friars notched the equalizer 10:52 into the frame. Off an offensive zone faceoff win to the left of Steve Mastalerz by Noel Acciari, Brandon Tanev drove a shot through traffic to knot things up at 1-1.
The Minutemen managed to regain the advantage before the end of the period, though. LaRue stripped a Friars' defenseman of the puck and stuffed it in at the right post at 14:54.
UMass and Providence battled through a scoreless second and all but the final eight ticks of the third. With the extra skater on, Ross Mauermann poked in the tying goal under the right leg pad of Mastalerz from Nick Saracino and Mark Jankowski.
Then in overtime, the Friars netted the game winner 1:54 into the stanza. Acciari drove in a loose puck in the slot into a open net from Saracino and Shane Luke.
The Friars finished the night with a 45-25 shot advantage, while both teams went 0-for-2 on the power play.
Mastalerz totaled 40 saves in net for UMass and his counterpart, Gillies, made 23 stops for Providence.
The teams will square off again tomorrow night at 7 p.m. in the Mullins Center. The evening will mark Senior Night for the Minutemen and the squad's six seniors will be honored prior to the contest.
