AMHERST, Mass. - Chase Langeraap scored two goals and added an assist to lead UMass Hockey to a 5-1 win over the Swedish Under-20 National Team in an exhibition game Saturday afternoon at the Mullins Center. Michael Pereira also scored for the Minutemen, while Jeff Teglia made 30 saves in goal, while Paul Dainton and Kevin Moore also saw action in the third period. The Mass Attack will head to Durham, N.H. for two games with New Hampshire at the Whittemore Center, both beginning at 7 PM.
Massachusetts held a slight edge in shots for the game 43-38, but were plagued by penalties for the second straight game. The Minutemen penalty kill, however, held Sweden to just four shots and no goals during their six power plays. UMass was 1-for-4 on their man advantages, and put 11 shots on goal during its odd-man situations.
The Minutemen played an up-tempo and physical first period, taking a 1-0 lead and outshooting Sweden 18-14. UMass was peppering Gustafsson throughout the period as Kevin Czepiel and Michael Pereira each had a couple chances to give the Mass Attack an early lead. The Swedish National Team also had several good scoring opportunities during the first period, but Teglia was there to turn away each opposing bid.
Langeraap was able break the deadlock ten minutes into the frame with the Minutemen shorthanded on a snap shot from the faceoff circle. Conor Allen rushed the puck through the neutral zone and made a swift pass to Langeraap, who was skating to the left of Gustafsson, for the one-timer into the back of the net.
The Swedish National Team outshot Massachusetts 15-9 during the second period, and netted the tying goal two minutes into the period on a loose puck in front of the UMass goal. Teglia aggressively played a shot from atop the faceoff circle that got knocked down near the crease. As Teglia retreated back inside the paint, Henric Andersen hammered home the loose puck over a UMass defenseman sprawled across the crease.
Three minutes later, the Minutemen retook the lead during a delayed penalty against Sweden. Conor Sheary carried the puck down the right side before sending it in front to Pereira. Pereira got a quick shot off, and was saved by Gustafsson. Adam Phillips found the rebound and fired it towards goal and the puck caromed off a Swedish defender over the goal line.
Sweden was awarded an early penalty in the third period, and nearly tied the score near the end of the man advantage when Victor Berglung rang a shot off the right post from the point, but UMass made a quick transition to generate a scoring chance of its own as the penalty expired. Power held the puck in front of the goal, and with Swedish defenders smothering him, Power pushed the puck to Langeraap on the side of the goal for the score and a 3-1 UMass lead.
Sheary made it 4-1 with 6:33 remaining in regulation with the Minutemen on the power play. After his initial shot was blocked off a pass from Langeraap, Sheary followed his rebound and sent a wrist shot under the crossbar for the score.