University of Massachusets Athletics
Photo by: THOM KENDALL FOR UMASS ATHLETICS
Massachusetts Hockey Kicks Off 2022-23 With Exhibition Against Sacred Heart
September 30, 2022 | Hockey
The Minutemen will face the Pioneers in a free, non-ticketed matchup at the Mullins Center on Saturday night. The game will not be streamed.
AMHERST, Mass. - Saturday's exhibition vs. Sacred Heart will officially kick off the seventh season of the Greg Carvel era at UMass. The Minutemen underwent several staff changes in the offseason as Tom Upton signed on as an assistant coach, coming to Amherst from the USHL, Nolan Gluchowski was elevated into an assistant coach role and former UMass forward Jacob Pritchard has returned as a volunteer assistant coach.
Seventeen players from UMass' 2022 Hockey East Championship squad are back for 2022-23—10 forwards, five defenseman and two goaltenders. The Minutemen return 50 of their 117 goals from last season, 42.7%, and 47.2% of their points (150 of 318) and the squad will be led by three senior forwards with Eric Faith wearing the "C" and Jerry Harding and Reed Lebster donning the "A"s.
The Massachusetts roster features 10 NHL draft picks, the most in program history, which is tied for eighth nationally and tied for third in Hockey East. Six of the 10 draftees are newcomers to the squad for 2022-23, including a pair of transfers in senior forward Josh Nodler (Calgary, 2019 fifth round) and junior goaltender Cole Brady (New Jersey, 2019 fifth round) along with freshmen forwards Tyson Dyck (Ottawa, 2022 seventh round), Kenny Connors (Los Angeles, 2022 fourth round) and Cole O'Hara (Nashville, 2022 fourth round), and freshman defenseman Noah Ellis (Vegas, 2020 sixth round).
In the net, UMass will need to fill the hole of the departure of five-year fixture and all-time wins and shutouts leader Matt Murray who appeared in 36 of 37 games last season. Sophomore Luke Pavicich appeared in four games as a rookie in 2021-22 and compiled a 1.62 goals against average and a .933 save percentage over 111 minutes of action.
The Minutemen return three individuals on the blueline who saw significant time in the lineup last season, led by returning First Team All-American and First Team Hockey East All-Star Scott Morrow. Morrow, the first rookie in program history to earn All-America recognition, is one of just four First Team All-Americans returning to college hockey in 2022-23. He will look to build on an impressive freshman campaign which saw him finish second for UMass in scoring with 33 points on 13 goals and 20 assists, appearing in all 37 games. His classmate Ryan Ufko was a Hockey East Honorable Mention All-Star and a Hockey East All-Rookie Team honoree last season and finished second on the squad in assists with 26 over 37 games to go along with five goals for 26 points, good for third on the Minutemen roster. Junior Aaron Bohlinger missed time due to injury last season but still managed to put up 13 points (2g, 11a) over 30 games, including the overtime game winner over UConn in the Hockey East title game.
Leading UMass' forwards group, Lebster and classmate Cal Kiefiuk contributed 18 points apiece as juniors as the squads' top returning point producing forwards. Lebster had nine goals and nine assists a year ago, while Kiefiuk tallied six goals and 12 assists. Two more Minutemen reached double digit point totals last season as rookies—Lucas Mercuri (6g, 9a) and Ryan Lautenbach (3g, 7a).
Coming off Saturday's free non-ticketed exhibition vs. Sacred Heart, Massachusetts will officially open its 2022-23 slate against Western Mass. foe AIC in Springfield on Saturday, Oct. 8, before kicking off a five-game homestand, which begins with a pair against defending national champion No. 1 Denver. Click here for the 2022-2023 Massachusetts hockey ticket options.
Seventeen players from UMass' 2022 Hockey East Championship squad are back for 2022-23—10 forwards, five defenseman and two goaltenders. The Minutemen return 50 of their 117 goals from last season, 42.7%, and 47.2% of their points (150 of 318) and the squad will be led by three senior forwards with Eric Faith wearing the "C" and Jerry Harding and Reed Lebster donning the "A"s.
The Massachusetts roster features 10 NHL draft picks, the most in program history, which is tied for eighth nationally and tied for third in Hockey East. Six of the 10 draftees are newcomers to the squad for 2022-23, including a pair of transfers in senior forward Josh Nodler (Calgary, 2019 fifth round) and junior goaltender Cole Brady (New Jersey, 2019 fifth round) along with freshmen forwards Tyson Dyck (Ottawa, 2022 seventh round), Kenny Connors (Los Angeles, 2022 fourth round) and Cole O'Hara (Nashville, 2022 fourth round), and freshman defenseman Noah Ellis (Vegas, 2020 sixth round).
In the net, UMass will need to fill the hole of the departure of five-year fixture and all-time wins and shutouts leader Matt Murray who appeared in 36 of 37 games last season. Sophomore Luke Pavicich appeared in four games as a rookie in 2021-22 and compiled a 1.62 goals against average and a .933 save percentage over 111 minutes of action.
The Minutemen return three individuals on the blueline who saw significant time in the lineup last season, led by returning First Team All-American and First Team Hockey East All-Star Scott Morrow. Morrow, the first rookie in program history to earn All-America recognition, is one of just four First Team All-Americans returning to college hockey in 2022-23. He will look to build on an impressive freshman campaign which saw him finish second for UMass in scoring with 33 points on 13 goals and 20 assists, appearing in all 37 games. His classmate Ryan Ufko was a Hockey East Honorable Mention All-Star and a Hockey East All-Rookie Team honoree last season and finished second on the squad in assists with 26 over 37 games to go along with five goals for 26 points, good for third on the Minutemen roster. Junior Aaron Bohlinger missed time due to injury last season but still managed to put up 13 points (2g, 11a) over 30 games, including the overtime game winner over UConn in the Hockey East title game.
Leading UMass' forwards group, Lebster and classmate Cal Kiefiuk contributed 18 points apiece as juniors as the squads' top returning point producing forwards. Lebster had nine goals and nine assists a year ago, while Kiefiuk tallied six goals and 12 assists. Two more Minutemen reached double digit point totals last season as rookies—Lucas Mercuri (6g, 9a) and Ryan Lautenbach (3g, 7a).
Coming off Saturday's free non-ticketed exhibition vs. Sacred Heart, Massachusetts will officially open its 2022-23 slate against Western Mass. foe AIC in Springfield on Saturday, Oct. 8, before kicking off a five-game homestand, which begins with a pair against defending national champion No. 1 Denver. Click here for the 2022-2023 Massachusetts hockey ticket options.
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