DURHAM, N.H. - Kevin Goumas (Long Beach, N.Y.) scored two goals, but the 13th-ranked University of New Hampshire men's ice hockey team was defeated 3-2 in overtime by fifth-ranked University of Michigan on Saturday night at the Whittemore Center.
UNH, which skated to a 1-1 tie against the Wolverines on Friday, is now 1-2-1 overall. Michigan remains unbeaten at 3-0-1.
In addition to Goumas, Trevor van Riemsdyk (Middletown, N.J.) recorded multiple points with two assists. Goaltender Casey DeSmith (Rochester, N.H.) finished with 32 saves, including two in overtime.
Phil Di Giuseppe and Cristoval Nieves tallied two assists apiece for Michigan, who received single goals from Alex Guptill, Luke Moffat and the game-winner at 1:37 of OT by Tyler Motte. Zach Nagelvoort made 22 saves, including one in overtime and 11 in the second period.
UNH generated the first scoring chance of the extra session as Kelleher's one-timer from the left doorstep was stopped by Nagelvoort.
JT Compher led the rush on the game-winning goal when he skated down the left wing and continued behind the net. Compher dumped the puck to Derek DeBlois in the right circle. DeSmith stopped DeBlois' initial shot, but Motte corralled the rebound on the left side a deposited the puck into the open net.
Michigan, with four power plays in the first period, recorded an 8-3 shot advantage through 20 minutes as the teams entered the locker rooms tied 1-1. UNH generated a dangerous odd-man rush in the sixth minute when Tyler Kelleher (Londmeadow, Mass.) advanced down the slot and slid the puck to the left, where Goumas's one-timer was stopped by Nagelvoort.
The Wildcats took at 1-0 lead at 6:18 on Goumas' first goal of the season. van Riemsdyk won a battle at the right point to keep the puck in the offensive zone. Goumas skated over to corral the puck and his low blast sailed into the net. Eric Knodel (West Chester, Pa.) was also credited with an assist.
Michigan capitalized on its second power play of the game to level the score, 1-1, at 9:40. From the right circle, Nieves centered the puck to Guptill, who shifted around a defender and hesitated before wristing a shot into the upper-right corner. Di Guiseppe also tallied an assist.
The Wolverines netted another power-play goal at 4:03 of the second stanza to take a 2-1 lead. From the left point, Di Giusseppe advanced the puck low to Moffatt, whose centering pass ricocheted off a UNH defender into the net. Nieves tallied his second assist on the go-ahead goal.
In the 12th minute, DeBlois collected a long outlet pass on the right wing, and his slapshot from the faceoff dot was knocked down by DeSmith's torso and batted away.
New Hampshire pulled even, 2-2, with a power-play goal at 15:02. Goumas, from the right corner, threw the puck to the near post and it deflected off Nagelvoort's skates into the cage. Grayson Downing (Abbottsford, British Columbia), with the pass to Goumas, and van Riemsdyk were credited with assists.
In the waning seconds of the middle period, Kelleher charged into the offensive zone and his wrister from the slot hit Nagelvoort and trickled wide of the right post.
Michigan recorded a 12-8 shot advantage in the scoreless third period. At 5:30, the Wolverines nearly turned a UNH turnover into a goal as Guptill skated from deep on the left side to the top of the crease, where he was stoned by DeSmith.
The teams exchanged a series of quality scoring chances beginning with the 'Cats at 13:30, when Dalton Speelman (San Jose, Calif.) fired a one-timer from the slot that hit Nagelvoort and bounced wide right. One minute later at the other end of the ice, Guptill carried the puck down the left wing. His low wrist shot to the top of the crease ricocheted off DeSmith back to the left post and the UNH netminder dove to cover the loose puck with his glove. At 15:30, van Riemsdyk chipped the puck up the right boards to Matt Willows (Congers, N.Y.), who shifted to the slot and blasted a shot wide right.
At the end of regulation, Michigan held a 32-23 shot advantage.
New Hampshire returns to action Oct. 26 (7 p.m.) at Rensselaer. The Wildcats' next home game is Nov. 2 (7 p.m.) against UMass Lowell. Tickets are available at www.unhwildats.com or by calling 603-862-4000, ext. 5.
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