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University of Massachusets Athletics
Friday, March 25
Worcester, Mass.
6 p.m.
University of Massachusetts
22-13-2
3
vs
4
#5/6 Minnesota
25-12-0
1
2
3
OT 1
F
Massachusetts
2
1
0
0
3
Minnesota
1
1
1
1
4
#10/9 Massachusetts Hockey Drops NCAA Tournament OT Heartbreaker To #5/6 Minnesota, 4-3
March 25, 2022 | Hockey
Lebster scores twice as the 2022 Hockey East champions end the season at 22-13-2.
WORCESTER, Mass. – No. 10/9 University of Massachusetts hockey jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but No. 5/6 Minnesota rallied to force overtime and came up with the deciding goal in the extra stanza to defeat the Minutemen, 4-3 at the DCU Center on Friday night. With the setback, UMass ends the 2021-22 campaign with a record of 22-13-2.
"We came out playing really well," said UMass head coach Greg Carvel. "Their difference-makers were the difference. I don't feel like we lost momentum in the game. If you would have asked me just how our team played, would I be happy with it? One hundred percent. I thought we played a really good hockey game and played well enough to deserve the final way to win. I was really concerned playing this team. We went out to Michigan and we really got waxed out there, and I knew we were in a better place now than when we were then. I thought our kids were good tonight, I thought they played well enough to deserve to win, but congratulations to Minnesota, they're a very good team."
The Minutemen opened the scoring with a 6-on-5 tally on a delayed penalty call 14:09 into the first period. Junior Reed Lebster knuckled a one-timer past goaltender Justen Close off tic-tac-toe passing from classmate Cal Kiefiuk and freshman Ryan Ufko for his eighth tally of the season.
Moments later on the ensuing power play, senior Garrett Wait redirected a shot from Ufko at the right point at the top of the crease to bring the advantage to 2-0 at the 15:05 mark. Senior Bobby Trivigno collected the secondary helper on the play for his 131st career point to become UMass' all-time leading scorer of the program's Hockey East era.
Minnesota took one of the goals back just before the intermission. Ryan Johnson's initial one-timer from Ben Meyers and Matthew Knies was denied by goaltender Matt Murray, but the puck deflected off a UMass skate and into the net 18:02 into the first.
Lebster opened the second period by putting the Minutemen back up by two with his second tally of the day at the 1:24 mark, collecting a loose puck from Kiefiuk and senior Anthony Del Gaizo and knocking it home at the post.
The Gophers made it a one-goal game once more with the second period winding down. Tristan Broz's deflected in a puck at the net front from Jaxon Nelson and Rhett Pitlick at 17:09, bringing the score to 3-2.
Minnesota then converted on the power play in the third period to tie the score at 3-3 as Matthew Knies picked off a UMass clearing attempt and fired a shot past Murray 13:17 into the frame.
Meyers later came up with the winner 8:31 into overtime for the Golden Gophers, connecting on a one-timer from Aaron Huglen and Nelson from point-blank range.
Minnesota edged the Minutemen in shots 24-23, while UMass went 1-for-1 on the power play and the Golden Gophers were 1-for-2.
Murray finished with 20 saves on the day, and Close also made 20 stops for Minnesota.
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"We came out playing really well," said UMass head coach Greg Carvel. "Their difference-makers were the difference. I don't feel like we lost momentum in the game. If you would have asked me just how our team played, would I be happy with it? One hundred percent. I thought we played a really good hockey game and played well enough to deserve the final way to win. I was really concerned playing this team. We went out to Michigan and we really got waxed out there, and I knew we were in a better place now than when we were then. I thought our kids were good tonight, I thought they played well enough to deserve to win, but congratulations to Minnesota, they're a very good team."
The Minutemen opened the scoring with a 6-on-5 tally on a delayed penalty call 14:09 into the first period. Junior Reed Lebster knuckled a one-timer past goaltender Justen Close off tic-tac-toe passing from classmate Cal Kiefiuk and freshman Ryan Ufko for his eighth tally of the season.
Moments later on the ensuing power play, senior Garrett Wait redirected a shot from Ufko at the right point at the top of the crease to bring the advantage to 2-0 at the 15:05 mark. Senior Bobby Trivigno collected the secondary helper on the play for his 131st career point to become UMass' all-time leading scorer of the program's Hockey East era.
Minnesota took one of the goals back just before the intermission. Ryan Johnson's initial one-timer from Ben Meyers and Matthew Knies was denied by goaltender Matt Murray, but the puck deflected off a UMass skate and into the net 18:02 into the first.
Lebster opened the second period by putting the Minutemen back up by two with his second tally of the day at the 1:24 mark, collecting a loose puck from Kiefiuk and senior Anthony Del Gaizo and knocking it home at the post.
The Gophers made it a one-goal game once more with the second period winding down. Tristan Broz's deflected in a puck at the net front from Jaxon Nelson and Rhett Pitlick at 17:09, bringing the score to 3-2.
Minnesota then converted on the power play in the third period to tie the score at 3-3 as Matthew Knies picked off a UMass clearing attempt and fired a shot past Murray 13:17 into the frame.
Meyers later came up with the winner 8:31 into overtime for the Golden Gophers, connecting on a one-timer from Aaron Huglen and Nelson from point-blank range.
Minnesota edged the Minutemen in shots 24-23, while UMass went 1-for-1 on the power play and the Golden Gophers were 1-for-2.
Murray finished with 20 saves on the day, and Close also made 20 stops for Minnesota.
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Team Stats
UMA
MIN
Shots
23
24
PPG
1
1
SHG
0
0
Penalties
2
1
Penalty Mins
4
2
Faceoffs Won
36
36
Game Leaders
Skaters
+/-
2
Goals
2
Sh
3
A
0
+/-
2
Goals
0
Sh
1
A
2
+/-
0
Goals
1
Sh
1
A
0
Players Mentioned
F
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