Pierson Nets Two Goals as Wildcats Earn 2-1 OT Win at UConn

Saturday, January 2

Storrs, Conn.

4 PM

University of New Hampshire

2-2-1, 2-2-1HEA

UConn

3-5-1, 3-5-1HEA

OT 1

New Hampshire

UConn

Jackson Pierson scored his second career game-winning goal.

1/2/2021 10:01:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score

Mike Robinson records 36 saves.

STORRS, Conn. – Junior forward Jackson Pierson (Zionsville, Ind.) scored both goals for UNH including the overtime game-winner as the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team defeated UConn, 2-1, in overtime at the Freitas Ice Forum on Saturday afternoon. Senior goalie Mike Robinson (Bedford, N.H.) was outstanding in net as he only allowed one goal and made 36 saves.

The Wildcats improve to 2-2-1 (2-2-1 Hockey East), while the Huskies fall to 3-5-1 (3-5-1 Hockey East).

Score: New Hampshire 2, UConn 1 (OT)
Records: UNH (2-2-1, 2-2-1 HE), UConn (3-5-1, 3-5-1 HE)
Location: Storrs, Conn. (Freitas Ice Forum)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021
BOXSCORE | WATCH GAME-WINNER

HOW IT HAPPENED

The first period went scoreless as UConn outshot UNH, 11-9, while the Huskies went 0-2 on the power play.
At 5:35 of the second period, Marc Gatcomb scored on a rebound for a power play goal to give UConn a 1-0 lead.
The Huskies outshot the Wildcats by a 14-9 margin in the second period, while UNH went 0-3 on the man-advantage and UConn went 1-1.
At 12:48 of the third period, the Wildcats tied the game at 1-1 when junior forward Angus Crookshank (North Vancouver, British Columbia) skated down the ice with the puck, and then sent a backhander from behind the net to a waiting Pierson who fired a one-timer to the stick side of the net for his first goal of the season. Freshman forward Cam Gendron (Hampstead, N.H.) also posted an assist on the goal.
The game would go to overtime and the Wildcats would go on a power play.
With 3:15 left in overtime Pierson scored the power play goal to give the Wildcats the win. He skated from the side of the net to the slot and then sent a wrist shot to the upper stick side corner. Senior forward Patrick Grasso (Ankney, Iowa) and sophomore defenseman Kalle Eriksson (Leksand, Sweden) each tallied assists on the goal.

WATCH GAME-WINNER

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Robinson made 36 saves to improve to 2-2-1 on the season, while Tomas Vomacka recorded 31 and is now 3-5-1.
UConn outshot UNH 37-33.
The Wildcats went 1-4 on the power play and the Huskies went 1-3.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE

The Wildcats are 1-0-1 in overtime this season. Over the last three seasons, UNH has played in overtime 27 times out of 75 games. UNH's last overtime win was a 5-4 victory over Northeastern on Jan. 11, 2020. Last season, UNH went 5-2-4 in overtime as the five wins tied a school record set in 1972-73.
Pierson tied his career-best with two goals which he scored versus Miami on Oct. 11, 2019. This is his ninth multi-point game. Pierson now has two career game-winning goals.
Grasso now has 85 career points on 43 goals and 42 assists over 120 games played.
This was the first-ever game between the two teams held at Freitas Ice Forum on the campus of UConn.

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