UConn falls to No. 7 UMass in men’s hockey season opener
Seventh-ranked UMass scored three third-period goals to put away UConn 5-1 in the men’s hockey season opener for both Friday night in Amherst, Mass.
Kale Howarth scored a first-period goal on assists from Jonny Evans and Cassidy Bowes for UConn to tie it at 14:18 of the first. UMass went back in front at 2:54 of the second, then pulled away with goals at 10:01, 17:29 and 18:51 of the third.
UMass outshot the Huskies 46-22, including 15-6 in the third period.
Oliver Chau had a goal and an assist for UMass.
Tomas Vomacka had 41 saves for UConn. Matt Murray made 21 for UMass.
The teams complete the home-and-home season-opening matchup Saturday at 4 p.m. in Storrs.
UConn will return to campus for the first time since the 2013-14 season as they play all their home games at the Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum in Storrs. UConn has called the XL Center in Hartford home since joining Hockey East in 2014-15. Only two Hockey East schools have played games at Freitas: UMass Lowell and Merrimack.
The 2020-21 season will look very different with the COVID-19 pandemic causing plenty of changes in athletics. The Huskies will play 20 league games this season in a double round robin format. Six flex games have been added that will not count in the standings and can be used as dates to make up games that are affected during the season.
UConn was supposed to open with two games at Vermont, but the pandemic caused a postponement leading to this weekend’s games with UMass. Further details on make-up dates with UVM will be announced at a later date.
In the 2020-21 HEA Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the Huskies were picked to finish seventh.
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