University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
#20 UConn
#10/9 Massachusetts Hockey Set For Pivotal Weekend Series Vs. #20 UConn
February 17, 2022 | Hockey
The two teams are separated by just two points heading into the home-and-home weekend.
| Games 28-29 | #10/9 Massachusetts Minutemen (16-9-2, 10-4-2 HE) vs. #20 UConn Huskies |
| Dates | Times | Friday, February 18, 2022 | 7:05 p.m. Saturday, February 19, 2022 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Locations | Hartford, Conn. (XL Center - 9,000) Amherst, Mass. (Mullins Center - 8,373) |
| Series History | UMass leads 41-15-4 |
| Live Statistics | Friday | Saturday |
| Watch Live | Friday | Saturday: NESN+ (Outside New England) |
| Listen (Radio) | WHMP FM 101.5, AM 1400/1240 |
| Listen (Online) | WHMP Streaming Player |
| Game Notes | Massachusetts | UConn |
| Team Records | Massachusetts | UConn |
| @UMassHockey | @UMassAthletics | |
| UMass Hockey | UMass Athletics | |
| Tickets | Friday | Saturday |
LAST TIME OUT
- No. 9 Massachusetts hockey split its weekend series with Maine at the Mullins Center last Friday and Saturday, falling to the Black Bears 3-2 in overtime in the opener before rebounding for a 4-2 win on Saturday.
- In Friday night's matchup Maine was on the board first as Lynden Breen's one-timer went off the iron and in with Jakub Sirota and David Breazeale collecting the assists on the power-play tally at the 8:56 mark of the first period.
- UMass responded shortly after on a power-play of its own. After an offensive zone faceoff win, senior Bobby Trivigno sent the puck up to the point and freshman Ryan Ufko found senior Garrett Wait at the net front for the equalizer 11:08 into the frame.
- Trivigno then put the Minutemen in front, 2-1, just 22 seconds into the second period, picking off a puck from a Black Bears' defender and skating in alone on Victor Ostman for the score.
- However, Maine answered at the 7:01 mark with Ben Poisson lifting a shot over goaltender Matt Murray after Breen sprung him on a breakaway, leveling the score at 2-2.
- Breen later set up another break in overtime, this time Donavan Villeneuve-Houle was the recipient of the feed and potted the game winner 1:03 into the extra stanza.
- Mass finished the night with a 27-25 edge in shots and went 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Black Bears were 1-for-2.
- Ostman finished with 25 saves for Maine and Murray stopped 22 in net for the Minutemen.
- On Saturday night, UMass rode a 3-0 start to a 4-2 victory.
- Wait opened the scoring 4:16 into the contest, knocking a puck home at the top of the crease from sophomore Josh Lopina and Trivigno to put the Minutemen on the board
- Lopina followed at the 9:12 mark, converting on UMass' first power play opportunity of the night, redirecting home a Scott Morrow shot in the slot with Trivigno collecting the secondary helper.
- Junior Eric Faith then made it 3-0 at 10:42 as an outlet pass from Ufko sparked a 2-on-1. Faith kept the puck himself and picked a corner on Ostman.
- Maine took one of the goals back on the power play 14:03 into the frame. Villeneuve-Houle knocked down a shot from Breazeale and tucked it behind Matt Murray. Jakub Sirota picked up an assist, as well.
- The Black Bears then made it a one-goal game, scoring once again with the man advantage in the final minute of the period. Adrien Bisson put back a rebound from Samuel Duerr and Keenan Suthers at the 19:03 mark.
- The 3-2 score would hold until midway through the third period when Wait gave UMass some breathing room with his second of the game, knocking home his own rebound in the air with Trivigno and Ufko earning the assists.
- UMass finished with a 38-24 shot advantage and went 1-for-4 on the power play, while Maine was 2-for-3. The Minutemen won 40 of 57 faceoffs (70.2%) on the night, paced by Lopina's 21 for 25 (84.0%) effort.
- Four UMass players had multi-point nights, led by Trivigno's three assists. Wait contributed two goals, his fifth and sixth in the past four games, Lopina had a goal and an assist and Ufko added two helpers.
- Murray ended the night with 22 saves for the Minutemen and Ostman turned aside 34 in between the pipes for Maine.
YOUNG GUNS
- Scott Morrow heads into this weekend's action tied for fifth among the nation's freshmen in goals (10), seventh in points (27) and sixth in points per-game (1.00). He leads all rookie defensemen in points per-game and is second in goals, third in points and fourth in assists (17).
- Among all defensemen nationally, Morrow is fifth in points per-game, tied for fourth in goals and fifth in points.
- Ryan Ufko is third among freshmen defensemen with 18 assists, as well and ranks fifth in points per-game (.778)
MINUTEMEN AMONG HOCKEY EAST LEADERS
- Senior Bobby Trivigno currently is the Hockey Eas leader with 24 points in league play and is the league leader in points per-game (1.33). He also ranks first in goals with 12 in conference play.
- Freshman Ryan Ufko leads Hockey East in league play with 16 assists and is seventh in points per-game (.944), while classmate Scott Morrow is tied for second in points (19) and tied for fourth in points per-game (1.06).
TRIVIGNO AND MORROW NAMED WALTER BROWN AWARD SEMIFINALISTS
- UMass senior forward Bobby Trivigno and freshman defenseman Scott Morrow have been named semifinalists for the 70th Walter Brown Award, the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston announced on February 7.
- The slate of nominees for the award, which is presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England, includes 14 forwards, seven defensemen and four goaltenders.
- Trivigno was UMass' first-ever Walter Brown Award recipient when he earned the honor in 2021 as a junior.
A YEAR TO REMEMBER
- UMass ended a tumultuous 2020-21 season by capturing its first-ever NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship, defeating St. Cloud State, 5-0 in the 2021 National Championship Game on April 10 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- The Minutemen outscored their opponents 27-6 in the 2020-21 postseason and 17-3 in the NCAA Tournament. UMass head coach Greg Carvel garnered recognition from College Hockey News and USCHO.com, honored as the 2021 National Coach of the Year by both media outlets.
- In 2020-21, UMass earned the No. 3 seed in the Hockey East Tournament and the squad won three games on home ice to secure the Minutemen's first Hockey East Tournament Championship.
- Five Minutemen garnered Hockey East All-Star honors, the second highest total in program history, while Bobby Trivigno was named the program's first-ever winner of the Walter Brown Award as the best American-born player in New England. Trivigno earned a First Team All-America nod, as well, and defenseman Zac Jones was tabbed a Second Team All-American.
- UMass ended the 2020-21 campaign on a 14-game unbeaten streak, the longest unbeaten streak in program history, going 11-0-3 from January 22 to April 10. The Minutemen finished with a 20-5-4 record, the fewest losses for an NCAA Champion since Maine's 40-1-2 season in 1992-93.
2022 POST-HOLIDAY PLANS SORTED
- The Minutemen will compete in the 2022 Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on December 28-29. UMass will join Clarkson, Lake Superior State and Wisconsin in the four-team field.
- Semifinals of the second annual Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off will take place on Wednesday, December 28 with the Championship game and third-place game on Thursday, December 29. Matchups and ticket information will be announced at a later date.
MOVING ON
- UMass had 10 departures from its 2020-21 National Championship roster, which included five seniors. Forwards Carson Gicewicz and Jake Gaudet both signed AHL deals with Rockford and Cleveland, respectively.
- Three members of that championship squad inked NHL contracts as Marc Del Gaizo signed with the Nashville Predators after three seasons in Amherst and Zac Jones with the New York Rangers following his second season at
UMass. Jones became the 19th Minuteman to play in the National Hockey League on April 22, 2021 when he made his debut in New York. Filip Lindberg turned pro as well after three years with the Minutemen and signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins as a free agent.
BOBBY FOR HOBEY
- Senior captain Bobby Trivigno is among 77 nominees for the 2022 Hobey Baker Memorial Award. Hobey Baker fan voting is currently live and will run though Sunday, March 6, at midnight.
- Trivigno, who recently became the 14th player in program history to reach the 100 career points milestone, is currently leading team lead in scoring with 35 points on 15 goals and 20 assists through 27 games with four power-play goals, one shorthanded tally and two game winners.
- Through three-plus seasons in a UMass uniform, the forward has put up 48 goals and 69 assists over 129 contests. The Setauket, New York native currently ranks first in program history in career plus-minus (+68), ranks fifth in assists, tied for sixth in career game-winning goals (7) and tied for eighth in goals (48).
- With 19 points in the past 11 games, Trivigno cracked the top-10 in points and is now fifth all-time with 117 career points. He needs 13 points to match James Marcou for fifth all-time (130).
- In 2020-21 Trivigno led UMass with 34 points on 11 goals and 23 assists and garnered a CCM/AHCA Hockey All-America First Team selection. The first Minuteman to win the Walter Brown Award as the best American-born college hockey player in New England, Trivigno helped guide UMass to its first Hockey East Tournament Championship and NCAA Championship as an assistant captain during his junior campaign.
- In the 2021 Hockey East playoffs, Trivigno led the squad with six points over three tournament games on two goals and four assists and was +6, to garner Tournament MVP recognition along with a spot on the Steve Nazro Hockey East All-Tournament Team.
- In the Frozen Four, he set up both the tying goal and the overtime game-winning goal in a 3-2 OT thriller vs. Minnesota Duluth in the National Semifinal and scored in UMass' 5-0 win over St. Cloud State in the National Championship game to earn Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player recognition.
- The 2021 Hockey East First-Team All-Star finished the 2021-22 season tied for sixth nationally in points and 10th in points per-game (1.17), tied for fifth in assists and seventh in assists per-game (0.79).
BUT WAIT...THERE'S MORE
- In addition to Bobby Trivigno being back for 2021-22, his two linemates from last season have also returned—sophomore Josh Lopina and junior Garrett Wait.
- Lopina put up 23 points in 29 games on nine goals and 14 assists last season and became the first player in program history to be named a Hockey East Rookie of the Year. Wait had 17 points in 29 games as a junior in 2020-21.
- Since Lopina returned from injury on January 3, the now reunited line of Trivigno-Lopina-Wait has combined for 42 points in 11 games after being held without a point in that Jan. 3 Merrimack matchup.
- Wait carries an active four-game goal scoring streak in to this weekend's series vs. UConn and has seven goals in the past four games.
YOUTH & EXPERIENCE
- UMass' blueline is a mix of youth and experience this season, led by junior assistant captain Matthew Kessel, senior assistant captain Colin Felix and senior Ty Farmer. Combined, those three have played a total of 345 games for the Minutemen with Felix having appeared in 130 of 131 possible contests since arriving in Amherst.
- Kessel, a 2021 Hockey East Third-Team All-Star, registered 23 points on 10 goals and 13 assists over 29 games in 2020-21 and was +15 with a team-best six power-play goals. The Bloomfield Hills, Michigan native led all defensemen nationally in goals, goals per-game (.34) and power-play goals. An All-Tournament Team selection at the Frozen Four, Kessel ended the year tied for fourth nationally in points by a defenseman, ninth in points per-game (.88) and tied for 10th in power play points (9).
- UMass has added freshmen defensemen Scott Morrow and Ryan Ufko to the mix in addition to Denver transfer Slava Demin.
- Morrow, a 6-2, 195-pound right shot defenseman, was taken in the second round (40th overall) of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes, becoming the second-highest draft selection in program history behind Cale Makar who went fourth overall in 2017.
- Ufko, a 5-10, 181-pound right shot defenseman, was chosen in the fourth round (115th overall) of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators.
SUPER SENIOR
- After playing four seasons in Amherst, goaltender Matt Murray is back for more, using his additional year of eligibility to play a fifth season with the Minutemen in 2021-22.
- Murray has appeared in 111 games in his collegiate career over four-plus seasons and holds a 2.24 goals against average and a .917 save percentage with 2,639 career stops.
- He is UMass' all-time leader in wins (67) and shutouts (14) and set the program's single-season wins record with 20 in 2018-19.
- In 2020-21 the St. Albert, Alberta native finished 11th nationally in goals against average (1.97), eighth in winning percentage (.714, 10-4-0) and tied for eighth in shutouts (3), while holding a .917 save percentage.
- Murray capped his 2020-21 campaign with a 36-save performance against Minnesota Duluth in the National Semifinal, sending the Minutemen to the National Championship game with the 3-2 overtime victory over the Bulldogs.
- Murray is currently 24th in the nation in GAA (2.38), 22nd in save percentage (.920) and ninth in saves (699).
NEXT STOP, AMHERST, MA
- The Minutemen have five players on their 2021-22 roster who began their collegiate careers at other institutions before electing to transfer to UMass, including three new arrivals for this season.
- UMass has added a pair of graduate transfers out of the Ivy League as Cam Donaldson (Cornell) and Matt Baker (Dartmouth) join the Minutemen for their fifth year of eligibility after the Ivies opted out of the 2020-21 season. Both are pursuing Master's degrees in finance, alternative investments. Donaldson was an All-ECAC Hockey Third Team and All-Ivy League honorable mention player for the Big Red in 2018-19 after putting up 25 points on 12 goals and 13 assists.
- Slava Demin, another new addition for 2021-22, comes to UMass after three seasons at Denver. He was selected in the fourth round (99th overall) by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and his rights were acquired by Chicago Blackhawks in February 2020. He put up 31 points (9g, 22a) over 96 games with the Pioneers.
- The transfer portal has been kind to the Minutemen in recent memory—St. Lawrence transfer Carson Gicewicz led UMass in with 17 goals last season with four coming at the NCAA Regional. Minnesota transfer Garrett Wait scored the overtime game winner against Minnesota Duluth to send UMass to the 2021 National Championship game and finished with 17 points (9g, 8a) in his first season with the Minutemen. Providence transfer Jerry Harding brought a physical presence to the UMass lineup last year while also contributing six points (2g, 4a).
- In the Minutemen's 2018-19 run to the National Championship game, St. Lawrence transfer Jacob Pritchard put up 47 points in 41 games that season, including seven power-play goals.
LOCK HIM IN
- Head coach Greg Carvel has been extended through the 2025-26 season, Director of Athletics Ryan Bamford announced in June 2021.
- The new five-year rolling contract (April 11, 2021 – April 10, 2026) for the reigning USCHO and College Hockey News Coach of the Year will automatically add an additional year to the agreement on April 11 of each contract year (unless Carvel is provided notice by the university).
NEWMASS AT A WHOLE NEW LEVEL
- The Minutemen posted a 12-2-2 record against ranked teams in 2020-21 capped the year with a 14-game unbeaten streak (11-0-3), the longest unbeaten streak in school history.
- Three of UMass' losses last season were one-goal games, with just four regulation losses on the year. Three of five losses came prior to December 7 when the Minutemen were without the services of veteran defensemen Marc Del Gaizo and Ty Farmer for the November 27-28 setbacks to Boston College due to injuries.
- UMass was 18-2-3 from December 7, 2020 to the conclusion of the 2020-21 season, the fewest losses of any team and best winning percentage (.848) in the nation over that span.
- UMass won 13 games where the margin was three goals or more in 2020-21, compared to one loss (the 6-3 loss to Boston College on Nov. 28).
- The Minutemen allowed one goal or less in 55.2% of its games last season (16 occasions in 29 games) and two or fewer goals in 21 of 29 games.
SPECIAL TEAMS SUCCESS
- UMass' penalty kill was first in the nation (91.7%) in 2020-21 and its power play ranked 10th nationally (23.4%) while the squad tied for second in the nation in shorthanded goals with five. The Minutemen led the nation in combined special teams at 57.9% in 2020-21 and were a net +19 on special teams last season, tops in Hockey East.
- UMass had 25 power-play goals in 29 games, compared to 16 in 34 games in 2019-20 and tied for fifth in the nation in power-play goals last season.
- Currently the Minutemen sit 17th in the nation in PK percentage at .841.
QUICK DRAW
- One of the Minutemen's biggest strengths in 2020-21 was the team's success over the faceoff dots. UMass finished sixth nationally with a 53.7% faceoff percentage, 961 of 1788.
- Josh Lopina finished seventh nationally in faceoffs wins (312), 101 more than the next closest rookie.
- This year UMass currently ranks eight in the nation with a 53.6% faceoff percentage, winning 895 of 1,669 draws.
- The Minutemen won 40 of 57 (70.2%) of its draws against Maine on Feb. 12, led by Lopina's 21 for 25 (84%) effort.
AND THE BEAT GOES ON
- With 2019 Hobey Baker winner, 2020 Calder Trophy winner Cale Makar, 2019 Hockey East All-Star Mario Ferraro currently on NHL rosters and 2021 Second Team All-American Zac Jones seeing time at the NHL level with the New York Rangers, as well, UMass' hallmark has been developing talent on the blueline during head coach Greg Carvel's tenure.
- As a team, UMass was sixth in the nation in scoring defense (1.97) in 2019-20 after ranking seventh (2.02) the season prior. The 2019-20 squad set a program record for the fewest goals allowed in a season, 67, which was eclipsed in 2020-21 (48 in 29 games). The 2020-21 Minutemen finished second in the nation in scoring defense at 1.66 goals per-game. UMass is currently 17th in the nation in scoring defense through 27 games at 2.44 goals per-game.
- The Minutemen blueliners led the nation in points per-game (3.07), goals (26), goals per-game (0.90) and points (89) in 2020-21, while ranking second in power-play goals (9), tied for second in power-play points (28), tied for third in assists (63), fourth in shots on goal per-game (10.76) and tied for fourth in power-play assists (19).
HOME IS WHERE THE WINS ARE
- UMass is 66-17-5 at the Mullins Center over the past three seasons (2018-present) for an .778 winning percentage. This stretch included a 16-game unbeaten streak (15-0-1) that began on Jan. 11, 2019 against Vermont and came to an end on Nov. 30, 2019 with a 2-1 loss to Quinnipiac.
- UMass went 11-2-2 at home last season, tying for first in the nation for home victories and finishing sixth in home winning percentage at .800.
TOP OF THE CHARTS
- For the first time in program history, the Minutemen were No. 1 in both the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men's College Hockey preseason polls, in addition to being selected as the preseason favorite in Hockey East for 2021-22. UMass entered the 2019-20 season ranked No. 4 in the USCHO.com poll and No. 5 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll, which was the first time the Minutemen opened a season ranked in either poll.
- In 2020-21, the Minutemen were ranked in the top-15 every week and the squad has been nationally ranked in 87 straight poll weeks since October 22, 2018 after previously not being ranked in either poll since February 2010.
- History was made on Dec. 3, 2018 as the Minutemen earned their first No. 1 national ranking in program history, sitting at the top of the USCHO.com poll with 26 first-place votes and 964 points. UMass was ranked for 20 straight weeks to end the 2018-19 season and earned a No. 2 ranking in the final polls.
- UMass entered the national rankings on Oct. 22, 2018 coming in at No. 16 in the USCHO.com poll. The last time the Minutemen were ranked prior to October 2018 was in the USCHO.com poll released on Feb. 15, 2010.
- On November 5, 2018, UMass moved up to No. 9 in the USCHO.com Poll and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men's College Hockey Poll in the No. 9 spot as well, the highest ranking for the Minutemen since November 30, 2009 (No. 9).
- UMass surpassed all previous highs in rankings on Nov. 12, 2018 when the squad was sitting at No. 4 in both polls.
- Previously the highest ranking in program history came in the USCHO.com poll on Dec. 31, 2007 at No. 5. The Minutemen spent six weeks in the top-10 during the 2007-08 season.
- After sitting in the No. 4 spot for two weeks, UMass improved upon its all-time highest ranking, moving up to No. 3 in both polls on Nov. 26, 2018.
- The Minutemen earned their first-ever top-10 ranking (No. 9) on Nov. 10, 2003 and ranked as high as No. 7 that season.
- UMass collected its first-ever national ranking on Jan. 6, 2003. (No. 15 USCHO.com poll/No. 14 USA Today/American Hockey Magazine Poll).
- On Jan. 14, 2019, UMass received its first No. 1 ranking in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll.
LEAGUE THINGS AND OTHER TIDBITS
- Anthony Del Gazio's father Anthony played college hockey at Merrimack (1983-84). Anthony Del Gaizo and Marc Del Gaizo (2018-21) were the fourth set of siblings to play for the Minutemen in the program's modern era (James Marcou 2007-10 and Michael Marcou 2008-12; Jeff Turner 1997-2001 and Tim Turner 1999-2003; Mike Warner 2000-04 and Tim Warner 2001-05). With the addition of Taylor Makar to the roster this season, he and his brother Cale (2017-19) are the fifth set of brothers to wear the Maroon & White.
- Bobby Trivigno is the second member of his family to play in Hockey East, following in the footsteps of his sister Dana who was a standout forward and former captain for Boston College, where she put up 138 points in 148 career games for the Eagles (2012-16).
- Matthew Kessel is the third member of his family to play college hockey. His brother Will played at Western Michigan from 2011-15 and captained the Broncos in 2014-15, while his brother Peter plays at Holy Cross and is in his senior season with the Crusaders.
- Linden Alger's father Richard played for UMass in the program's inaugural Division I season (1993-94) and then played the next two campaigns at Boston University (1995-97).
- Scott Morrow's uncle, Scott (1988-92), and dad, Steve Morrow (1988-91), both played college hockey at New Hampshire.
