University of New Hampshire Athletics
University of New Hampshire
12-17-5, 7-11-4HEA
UConn
12-14-8, 8-10-4HEA
Kelleher Wins HE Scoring Title in 4-2 Loss at UConn
2/25/2017 10:53:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
DURHAM, N.H. — The University of New Hampshire men's hockey team fell at the University of Connecticut in the regular season finale Saturday night by a score of 4-2. Senior forward Tyler Kelleher (Longmeadow, Mass.) solidified himself as the Hockey East Scoring Champion with a goal in the game.
Kelleher ended the league portion of the schedule with 37 points (14g, 23a) in 22 Hockey East games to gain the title, averaging 1.68 points per game. It is the second-straight year a Wildcat has earned the title as former Wildcat Andrew Poturalski earned it in 2016.
The Wildcats will travel to Merrimack College for the opening round of the Hockey East Playoffs, starting Friday, March 3 at 7 p.m. at Lawler Rink. UNH is the 10th seed while Merrimack is the seventh seed.
GAME INFORMATION
Date: February 25, 2017 (7:35 p.m.)
Final Score: Connecticut 4, New Hampshire 2
New Records: New Hampshire (12-17-5, 7-11-4 HEA) // Connecticut (12-14-8, 7-11-4 HEA)
Location: XL Center (Hartford, Conn.)
Goal Scorers:
UNH – Liam Blackburn (1), Tyler Kelleher (1)
UConn – Max Kalter (1), Tage Thompson (1), Evan Richardson (1), Corey Ronan (1)
Assist Leaders:
UNH – Matias Cleland (2)
UConn – Brian Morgan (1), Corey Ronan (1), Maxim Letunov (1), Tage Thompson (1), Joseph Masonius (1)
Points Leaders:
UNH – Matias Cleland (2)
UConn – Corey Ronan (2), Tage Thompson (2)
Goaltenders:
UNH – Danny Tirone (9-15-10 – 34 saves) Record: 12-15-5
UConn – Rob Nichols (5-4-5 -- 14 saves) Record: 5-7-4
UNH Starters UConn Starters
LW: Salvaggio LW: Morgan
C: McNicholas C: Kalter
RW: Kelleher RW: Ronan
LD: Cleland LD: Masonius
RD: Marks RD: Nyberg
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Huskies took a 1-0 lead at 3:38 of the first period on a goal by Max Kalter, his fourth of the season. The play came about when Brian Morgan put a shot on net that UNH netminder Danny Tirone (Trumbull, Conn.) saved, but Kalter jammed the puck into the net.
The Wildcats tied the game at 1-1 at the 10:36 mark of the first period as Blackburn scored his eighth goal of the season and second of the weekend. The play originated with senior captain Matias Cleland (Longmont, Colo.) sending a puck into the neutral zone to freshman Justin Fregona (Mississauga, Ontario). Fregona found Blackburn in the UConn zone who skated in and fired a shot to the top corner of the net past UConn goalie Rob Nichols.
UConn regained the lead at 13:41 of the first period with a power play goal by Tage Thompson. Maxim Letunov played a pass to from behind the net to Thompson who one timed a shot into the goal.
UNH battled back to tie the game at 15:52 of the first period as Kelleher scored his 22nd goal of the season. While on a power play, junior Michael McNicholas (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) fed a pass across the zone to Kelleher, who was waiting to the right of Nichols. Kelleher sent a shot in that took a deflected and redirected into the net for the goal.
Evan Richardson gave UConn a 3-2 lead at 4:19 of the second period with his sixth goal of the season. He picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and skated in with it. After getting turned around, he played a low backhander through traffic into the net.
The Huskies tallied their fourth goal of the game on an empty netter with 43 seconds left in the third period by Corey Ronan.
