MASSACHUSETTS PLAYS TO 2-2 TIE WITH QUINNIPIAC

Senior forward Rocco Carzo scored a goal for the Minutemen

AMHERST, Mass. - UMass hockey earned a 2-2 tie with No. 18 Quinnipiac following a scoreless overtime period at the Mullins Center on Saturday evening. Junior Conor Sheary and senior Rocco Carzo notched a goal each while junior Joel Hanley tallied his eighth career multi-point game with a pair of assists. The Minutemen move to 4-5-2 overall while the Bobcats stand at 8-3-2 on the year following the draw.

Quinnipiac took a 1-0 lead early in the opening period. Jordan Samuels-Thomas flipped a clearing attempt along the wall through the neutral zone that was picked up by Ben Arnt. Arnt skated into the UMass zone and found Bryce Van Brabant in the slot 3:24 into the contest.

The Minutemen would even the score, though, before the first intermission. With the squad a man down after Anthony Raiola was whistled for holding, Hanley's clearance out of the UMass end was picked up by Kevin Czepiel. Czepiel found Sheary alone in front for the equalizer at 15:47.

Then midway through the second period, The Minutemen pulled in front, 2-1 with the squad's 12th power play goal of the season. Following a shot from Hanley that was stopped by Quinnipiac goaltender Eric Hartzell, Carzo put home a loose puck at 15:47 with junior defenseman Colin Shea earning an assist, as well.

At the 7:34 mark of the third period, the Bobcats evened the score at two. Mike Dalhuisen flung a shot towards the net from the point that found the top corner of the UMass net.

UMass finished with a slight edge in shots on goal, 29-26 as Hartzell registered 27 stops for Quinnipiac and sophomore goaltender Kevin Boyle totaled 24 saves for the Minutemen. UMass finished 1-for-4 on the power play against the Bobcats, while the Minutemen special teams shut down Quinnipiac during both of its extra-man opportunities.

UMass closes out its four-game homestand next Friday, Dec. 1, against Northeastern at 7 p.m.