MEN'S HOCKEY FALLS TO 10TH-RANKED UMASS, 4-3, IN OVERTIME

AMHERST, Mass. – No. 10 Massachusetts scored the game-tying goal with 11 seconds left in regulation and scored at 2:05 of overtime to capture a 4-3 come-from-behind win over the University of New Hampshire men’s hockey team in Friday night’s Hockey East action at Mullins Center. The teams will meet again Saturday night at Mullins Center (7 p.m.).

With an extra-skater on in place of netminder Paul Dainton, the Minutemen, which improve to 7-1-0, 4-1-0 in Hockey East, scored with 11 seconds remaining as Danny Hobbs shot was stopped, but bounced out to an open Casey Wellman at the left side of the net for the equalizer.

Although New Hampshire, which falls to 2-6-2, 2-2-1 HE, controlled play in the early minutes of overtime, UMass scored at 2:05 to complete the come back. David Boehm scored from the left point with an assist from Brett Watson.

UNH trailed 2-0 at the end of one, but responded with a pair of second-period goals and the go-ahead goal early in the third. UNH cut the 2-0 deficit in half as Stevie Moses (Leominster, Mass.) scored an even-strength goal at 10:27 of the second period. Moses won a battle along the boards and fed Kevin McCarey (Balwinsville, N.Y.) on the left side. McCarey passed the puck back to a centering Moses, who slipped it past Minutemen netminder Paul Dainton. The Wildcats tied it at 2-2 as Peter LeBlanc (Hamilton, Ontario) scored at 17:52 of the second with assists from Greg Burke (Lee, N.H.) and Brett Kostolansky (Denver, Colo.). UNH outshot the Minutemen 18-7 in the middle frame.

New Hampshire took its first lead of the game just 1:19 into the third period. Bobby Butler (Marlboro, Mass.) scored from the left slot on a pass from Paul Thompson (Derry, N.H.), who was credited with the primary assist on the go-ahead goal. UMass tied it with an extra-attacker goal at 19:49 of the third period. Casey Wellman scored from the left point off the rebound of a Hobbs shot.

In a two-goal first period, UMass broke the scoreless deadlock as Michael Lecomte scored an even-strength tally at 16:28 of the first. Lecomte scored from the left slot off the rebound of a Will Ortiz shot. Ortiz and Chase Langeraap were credited with assists. The Minutemen made it 2-0 as Justin Braun went top shelf and scored at 18:39 of the first with an assist from Danny Hobbs. The Wildcats held an 11-10 shot advantage in the period and held UMass 0-2 on the power play.

UNH netminder Brian Foster (Pembroke, N.H.) turned away 27 shots, including 11 in the third period, while UMass’ Dainton had 42 saves, including 16 in the middle stanza. Foster falls to 2-6-2, while Dainton is now 6-1-0.

UNH and Massachusetts complete the two-game series on Saturday night. Puck drops at 7 p.m at Mullins Center. The Wildcats return home Friday, Nov. 20 (7 p.m.) to begin a home-and-home series with Boston University.