AGOSTA'S TWO GOALS HELP NEW HAMPSHIRE PAST MASSACHUSETTS, 4-1
Senior defenseman Justin Agosta scores two goals for Wildcats

Senior defenseman Justin Agosta scored two goals for the Wildcats

DURHAM, N.H. - Senior defenseman Justin Agosta (East Meadow, N.Y.) registered the first two-goal game of his career and Kyle Smith (Lumberton, N.J.) added his first career goal and an assist to lead the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team to Friday night's 4-1 Hockey East victory against the University of Massachusetts at the Whittemore Center.

UNH, which snapped a four-game losing streak, earned its first home win of the season to improve to 2-5-1, 1-2-0 in Hockey East. UMass dropped to 3-5-2, 1-2-1 in HEA.

Casey DeSmith (Rochester, N.H.) turned aside 22 shots to earn the victory; his record now stands at 1-4-0. Massachusetts netminder Steve Mastalerz (21 saves) slipped to 3-4-1.

The Wildcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead courtesy of Agosta's first goal of the season, a wrist shot from the top of the right circle at 1:51 of the first period. Jeff Silengo (Madison, Conn./ two assists) and Smith provided the assists.

The Minutemen, who entered the game tied for first nationally with 13 power-play goals, knotted the score, 1-1, on the man advantage at 17:38 of the first when Adam Phillips shoveled a pass from the right circle in front of the net to Steven Iacobellis, who deposited the puck inside the left post for his fourth goal of the year. Troy Power was credited with a secondary assist. New Hampshire claimed a 12-9 shot advantage in the first period.

The Wildcats increased their lead to 2-1 on Agosta's second goal of the night at 8:35 of the second period. UNH parlayed a transition opportunity into the goal-ahead goal when Maxim Gaudreault (Annapolis, Md.) fed a streaking Dan Correale (Prince George, British Columbia) along the right side. Correale dished to Agosta in the left circle, and the senior blasted the puck past Mastalerz. UNH owned an 11-8 shot differential in the second.

Smith struck for his first career goal at 2:19 of the third period when he received a pass from Casey Thrush (Easton, Md.) in the slot and beat Mastalerz to build UNH's lead to 3-1. Silengo notched his second assist of the night.

Trevor van Riemsdyk (Middletown, N.J.) capped the scoring with his second goal of the season, a power-play slap shot from the right point at 16:57 of the third period that was assisted by Tyler Kelleher (Longmeadow, Mass.) and Grayson Downing (Abbottsford, British Columbia). The 'Cats enjoyed a 9-6 edge in shots during the third period and finished with a 32-23 overall shot advantage.

UNH and UMass square off Saturday at the Mullins Center to conclude the weekend home-and-home series. Game time is 7 p.m. with a pregame show start time of 6:30 p.m. on the Wildcat Sports Radio Network with Dan Parkhurst and Pete Webster.

The Wildcats play host to Brown University on Tuesday, Nov. 12, in a 7 p.m. game at the Whittemore Center. For tickets, visit www.unhwildcats.com or call (603) 862-4000, extension 5.