AMHERST, Mass. - No. 9 University of Massachusetts hockey completed its weekend sweep of American International with a 4-2 win over the Yellow Jackets on Saturday night at the Mullins Center. The victory moves the Minutemen to 2-2-0, while AIC falls to 0-3-0.
"I thought it was fair to say last night's game was closer than the score and I think tonight's game was not as close as the score," said UMass head coach Greg Carvel. "This was a good character win for our guys, pound the rock, keep pounding the rock. We're a work in progress. We're a long way from where we need to be, but we got two wins this weekend and to me that's a character win."
Sophomore Josh Lopina opened the scoring at the 14:44 mark of the first, diving and poking home a loose puck at the net front off a centering feed from senior Bobby Trivigno and freshman Scott Morrow.
Moments later sophomore Ryan Sullivan increased the lead to 2-0, trickling a shot past Jake Kucharski with senior Garrett Wait and freshman Lucas Mercuri collecting the assists on the tally at 16:47.
The Yellow Jackets halved their deficit with Luka Maver skating the puck into the UMass zone and ripping a shot past Matt Murray at the 18:02 mark.
AIC managed to level the score at 2-2, 5:04 into the second period with Maver setting up Chris Theodore for the tally on an odd-man rush.
After a series of chances and shots hitting iron, UMass ultimately broke through with the go-ahead goal at the 17:41 mark of the third period. Sophomore Aaron Bohlinger picked up the puck from junior Cal Kiefiuk and put a pass right on the tape of Mercuri's stick and the Montreal, Quebec native hammered home a one-timer for his first career tally.
Kiefiuk then set up an empty net goal by junior Matt Kessel to seal the win with seven seconds remaining for his second point of the night.
UMass finished the evening with a 43-16 advantage in shots while going 0-for-3 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
Murray totaled 14 saves for the Minutemen ad Kucharski stopped 39 for the Yellow Jackets.
UMass will be back in action next Saturday, Oct. 23, when the squad will host Dartmouth for an exhibition matchup at the Mullins Center at 7 p.m.
