The No. 19 Massachusetts hockey team’s defensemen continued their strong scoring form in an important 5-1 Hockey East win over No. 13 UConn. The Minutemen (19-12, 12-9 HEA) stay fourth in HEA but are just two points behind the Huskies (17-10-4, 11-8-2 HEA) and four points behind Boston College.
A goal each from UMass defenders Francesco Dell’Elce and Owen Murray continues a hot scoring stretch for the Minutemen’s back end. The unit is up to 11 goals in 14 games since the break, which is just under 30% of the team’s goals.
“[Someone told me] our back ends have the highest scoring, I don’t know, in the league or the country since Christmas,” head coach Greg Carvel said. “So, we’re getting a lot of contributions back there. And you know, that’s the UMass way. We’ve always had defensemen that give us offense, and we got guys that are capable, and they’re starting to step up and do it.”
Following an unsuccessful five-on-three power play opportunity in the opening minutes of the game, Owen Mehlenbacher emerged from a puck battle on the left boards, taking it across the top of the slot. Pushing towards the right circle, he dropped the puck for Murray, who wasted no time snapping a shot before anyone could get out to block it. The shot rang off the post and past Tyler Muszelik for the captain’s second goal in four games.
“Honestly, [New Hampshire] gave us a run last week, 24 blocks or something, and all I was thinking was get it through that first layer, and hopefully something positive happens,” Murray said. “And look what happens when you do.”
In the second period, Coleson Hanrahan kept the puck from leaving the offensive zone and charged towards the goal. Instead of shooting, the freshman elected to swing a pass across the face of the goal to Bo Cosman on the left inside hash. Cosman’s one-time shot hit off a skate in front of the crease and went back behind the goal.
The junior forward didn’t give up on the play and was the first one to the puck, flinging a backhanded shot from nearly behind the net. With a little help from Mike Murtagh’s stick, the puck snuck past an out-of-position Muszelik to score the game-winner.
In goal, Michael Hrabal made 37 saves on his way to his 16th win of the season. He allowed just one goal, raising his save percentage against HEA teams to .953.
“[Hrabal’s] been outstanding since Christmas,” Carvel said. “He looks very comfortable, and they were going to have to do something special to beat him more than a couple of times tonight.”
UConn’s strong power play, ranked 23rd in the nation, continued to produce with a power play goal in the first period, but it was a struggling UMass power play that got the better of the Huskies’ special teams. Daniel Jenčko and Václav Nestrašil each netted a goal on the power play, picking up secondary assists on each other’s goals. These tallies were the first since Jan. 10 for Nestrašil and Nov. 14 for Jenčko.
“Jenčko has been playing great, it was just a matter of time,” Carvel said. “[Nestrašil’s] got to give us a little more, but I’m sure that goal, he hasn’t scored in a while either, so I’m sure that’ll give him a boost in his game. So that’s huge to get those two guys contributing a little bit more.”
The Minutemen go home to the Mullins Center on Saturday, Feb. 28, to complete the home-and-home against UConn with a chance to overtake them in Hockey East with a win. The game will start at 7 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
Myles Donato can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @myles_donato.
