UConn hockey team beats UNH in OT
Jan. 23—The University of Connecticut men's hockey team halted the University of New Hampshire's winning streak on Saturday at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn.
Jonny Evans netted the game-winning overtime goal with 3:02 left in the three-on-three overtime period to give the Huskies a 3-2 Hockey East victory over UNH.
UNH (12-11-1, 6-8-1 Hockey East) outscored its opponents, 23-7, over the five-game winning streak it took into Saturday, the program's longest since 2017. The Wildcats still have a six-game point streak after taking one point by pushing the game to overtime.
The Wildcats defeated Connecticut, 3-1, in Hartford on Friday.
Kevin O'Neil passed through three Wildcats to Evans, who then beat UNH goalie Mike Robinson in a one-on-one situation to secure two points for the Huskies.
"I thought we got outplayed," UNH coach Mike Souza said. "I thought (Connecticut) took it to us most of the game. We kind of just survived because we got outstanding goaltending."
Robinson, a Bedford resident, made a season-high 37 saves, three of which came on promising shots over the opening three minutes of the third period.
UNH forward Filip Engaras then tied the game at 2-2 with 5:47 left in regulation. The senior collected a loose puck off the end board and tucked it inside the near post.
The Huskies (10-10-0, 7-6-0) peppered Robinson throughout the second period and came out of the frame with a 2-1 advantage behind goals from Marc Gatcomb and Sasha Teleguine.
Gatcomb, a senior forward, scored on a one-timer from the high slot through traffic 2:41 into the middle period to knot the score at 1-1. Teleguine, a freshman forward, logged his first career goal on a rebound shot in front following a Gatcomb blast with 6:53 left before the second intermission to build a 2-1 Huskies lead.
UNH led, 1-0, after a penalty-filled first period behind Jackson Pierson's team-high 11th goal of the season.
Pierson flipped a wrister through Huskies goaltender Darion Hanson's legs from the slot off a centering pass from Colton Huard with 2:55 remaining in the opening frame.
Huard, a freshman defenseman, has tallied four goals and five assists over his six-game point streak.
Hanson made 23 saves for Connecticut.
"It's always tough to lose but I'm proud of our team," Souza said. "We were a shot away and we didn't have our best (Saturday). We were fortunate to get the game to overtime. ... The points are all going to matter at the end of the year."