Men's Ice Hockey Tops UConn Sunday, 3-2

Links: Box Score
Video: Scott Borek Postgame Comments // Tyler Irvine Postgame Comments

HARTFORD, Conn. –The Merrimack College men's ice hockey team's consistent offensive pressure led the team to a 3-2 win over the UConn Huskies for the squad's first conference victory of the season at the XL Center on Sunday afternoon.

A two-goal second period, paired with a tight penalty kill that prevented UConn for scoring on its final five power plays of the game, pushed the Warriors to 2-6-0 on the season (1-2-0 HEAM), while the Huskies drop to 2-3-1 (1-1-0 HEAM) on the year. Merrimack's defense held UConn to just seven shots over the final two periods.

The Basics
Score: Merrimack 3, UConn 2
Records: Merrimack (2-6-0, 1-2-0 HEAM) | UConn (2-3-1, 1-1-0 HEAM)
Location: Lawler Rink | North Andover, Mass.
Attendance: 3,387
Game Duration: 2:20

How It Happened

• UConn scored the game's first goal on a power play midway through the first, as an unmarked player rifled a shot from the nearside faceoff circle to give the Huskies a lead.
• Freshman Liam Walsh tied the game for Merrimack with five minutes left in the first, deftly handling a feed from senior Tyler Drevitch along the boards as he crashed the net, sending a backhand over the goaltender's shoulders.  
• Merrimack continued its pressure into the second period, as freshman Mac Welsher walked into the zone and took the space, firing a snap shot in with a fake to give the Warriors a 2-1 lead.
• Senior Tyler Irvine jumped on the board on the power play midway through the second, capturing a rebound off a shot by freshman Ben Brar from the point to add to Merrimack's lead.
• The Huskies challenged with a goal with 10:19 to go in the game, as a UConn forward sped through two defenders along the blueline and fired in to make it 3-2. Freshman Jere Huhtamaa shut the door from there, however, holding off the hosts for his first career victory

Notes & Numbers

• Walsh has now scored in two straight games, tallying his first career goal in Friday night's game against the Huskies at Lawler.
• Huhtamaa was locked down in goal, making 15 saves including a pair of glove saves and stops through UConn pressure down low to anchor Merrimack in the back.
• Freshman Liam Dennison enjoyed a two-assist performance, his first career multi-point game
• The Warriors picked up their 27^th win all-time against UConn, and second 3-2 victory at the XL Center this calendar year after Merrimack topped the Huskies by the same margin back in January

Up Next
The Warriors ready for a Hockey East home-and-home, hosting the No. 10/10 Northeastern at Lawler Rink on Friday, Nov. 8 with puck drop at 7 p.m. before traveling to Matthews Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9 to finish the series at 7 p.m.