University of Massachusets Athletics
#10 Massachusetts Hockey Drops Season Opener At Colorado College, 2-0
October 03, 2026 | Hockey
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – No. 10 University of Massachusetts hockey was unable to solve goaltender Jackson Unger, dropping its season opener 2-0 at Colorado College on Friday evening. Unger stopped all 32 shots he faced as the Tigers potted a goal in the first and later added an empty netter in the closing seconds in the contest at Ed Robson Arena.
Colorado College looked more like a veteran team, said UMass head coach Greg Carvel. I think they only had two freshmen in the lineup. I think we had seven or eight, and that was a tough first game for a freshman. We're in altitude. It was good tempo. I didn't think we battled like our teams usually do. I give them credit; they deserved that game. We were sloppy. The first period was pretty ugly. They came at us fast. I thought in the second period we kind of got our feet under us, but we didn't generate much in the third. And the power play needs to be better for sure.
At the 14:09 mark of opening period. Mats Lindgren put home a rebound off freshman Ethan Eskit's right pad as Klavs Veinbergs initial attempt was kicked aside. Wilson Bjorck earned the secondary on the play.
The teams played an even second period with Colorado College posting a slight edge in total shots at 21-20 and put 11 on target in the frame to UMass' eight.
With less than five minutes to play in the third, the Minutemen had a chance to equalize on their third power play of the night as the Tigers were whistled for a delay of game on an illegal faceoff. UMass managed a flurry of quality scoring chances with the man advantage, but Colorado College completed the kill and went on to add an empty net goal with 13 seconds remaining in the contest.
Drew Montgomery potted the insurance tally from Bret Link to cap the scoring.
Eskit turned aside 33 of the 34 shots he faced in his collegiate debut and the Minutemen edged the Tigers in faceoffs, winning 37 of 72 (51.3%) on the night.
The teams will be back in action for game two of the weekend tomorrow, October 3, at 8 p.m. Eastern.
