AMHERST, Mass. - Matt Taormina's goal with 53 seconds remaining in regulation propelled the Providence Friars to a 5-4 win over the UMass Hockey team on Friday night at the Mullins Center. The Minutemen (9-10-2, 4-6-2 HEA) received goals from four different scorers, including Martin Nolet's goal with 2:35 remaining in regulation to tie the score at four. Dan Meyers got the start in goal for UMass, making 26 saves. Alex Beaudry started in net for the Friars, making 42 saves in just his third collegiate start. The Minutemen will travel the Lowell, Mass. tomorrow to take on the UMass-Lowell River Hawks at Tsongas Arena. Game time is slated for 7 PM. The game will be aired live on 91.1 FM WMUA starting with the pre-game show at 6:40 PM.
The Minutemen outshot the Friars 46-31 for the game, and took one penalty throughout the game. UMass was 0-for-2 on the power play, while Providence was not awarded any man advantages. Providence (6-12-1, 3-8-1 HEA) held the edge in faceoffs, 30-26 en route to the Friars third straight win.
The Minutemen outshot Providence 19-10 during the first period, scoring early and taking control throughout the first half of the period. The Friars tied the score with seven minutes remaining in the stanza on a goal from Matt Germain.
Three minutes into the period, Lecomte scored his fourth goal of the season off a nice feed from James Marcou. After Chase Langeraap controlled the puck down low, he dished the puck to Marcou to the left of the net. Marocu then slid a pass across the crease to Lecomte who beat Beaudry low for the score.
Germain tied up the game for Providence 12 minutes into the period off a pass from Matt Taormina. After Taormina picked the puck up in the Friar zone, he threaded a pass through the neutral zone to Germain who went in alone on Meyers. Germain let a shot go from the slot that beat Meyers blocker side.
Both teams filled the score sheet during the second period, with Providence scoring three times to take a 4-3 lead heading into intermission. Austin Mayer opened the scoring just 54 seconds into the frame with his third goal of the season. After he received a pass from Pierce Norton, Mayer let a shot go from just inside the point that beat Meyers for the score.
The Friars took a two-goal lead just 22 seconds later when Kyle MacKinnon took a pass from Eric Bayer and beat Meyers five-hole for his third goal of the season. Casey Wellman netted his fifth goal of the season five minutes into the stanza when he took a pass from Will Ortiz and lifted the puck past Beaudry for the score.
Providence brought the game back to two with seven minutes left in the period on Andy Balysky's second goal of the season. After Nick Mazzolini controlled the puck down low, he fed a pass to Balysky for the goal. Justin Braun cut the Providence lead to one with less than one minute to play in the period when he let a shot go from the point that beat Beaudry for the score.
UMass outshot the Friars 15-10 during the third period, and received a goal from Martin Nolet with 2:35 remaining in regulation to tie the score. After the Minutemen controlled the puck off the faceoff, Marcou fed Nolet who beat Beaudry for the tying goal.
Providence answered with 53 seconds left in the period on Taormina's fourth goal of the year. Off the faceoff, MacKinnon sent the puck back to Taormina at the point. Taormina let a shot go from the blue line that beat Meyers low for the score.