BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Last season, Connecticut coach Mike Cavanaugh was not happy with the way the team came back after their holiday break.
This season, Cavanaugh has seen a change in his team as the Huskies came from behind to beat Union 3-2 in the first round of the Frozen Holiday Classic at the Webster Bank Arena.
“Last year, I felt we didn’t do what we needed to over the break to come back and play a hockey game and it cost us a chance to play for a trophy,” said Cavanaugh. “They clearly did it [this season] because you do not beat a team like Union if you don’t come back in shape.”
The Huskies scored the game-winner from hard work on the forecheck from Kasperi Ojantakanen who sent a pass to Ryan Naas, who one-timed the puck past Union goalie Colin Stevens to make it 3-2 10:08 into the third.
Naas credited his teammates for their work on the goal.
“Corey [Ronan] was able to get it into the zone and Kasperi retrieved the puck and he made a great look and a perfect pass right on the tape,” Naas said. “All I had to do was put it in.”
UConn tied the game in the second period on a goal by Cody Sharid, who came down the right side and put a backhander past Stevens.
Union coach Rick Bennett said Connecticut seemed to want the two points more than his squad.
“I give all the credit in the world to UConn,” Bennett said. “They came out with a sense of urgency and completely outworked us tonight.”
Prior to the two unanswered goals by UConn, the Dutchmen used two power-play goals 1:11 apart from one another to take a 2-1 lead.
First, Daniel Ciampini took a centering feed from Mike Vecchinone and beat Rob Nicholas and then Vecchinone ripped a shot from the point that hit off the far post and went into the net.
Bennett said the team took a simple approach on the first two power-play opportunities.
“We kept it simple and got pucks to the net,” said Bennett.
The Huskies opened up the scoring in the first period on a goal from Patrick Kirtland.
Following Naas’ goal, the Dutchmen had a chance to tie with a four-on-three power play with under nine minutes to go, but UConn, who killed off four Union power plays after they started two-for-two, killed it off.
Cavanaugh made some tweaks to the penalty kill after the two quick Union goals.
“We had to make a little adjustment,” said Cavanaugh. “I thought we got overextended at times. We tried to stay in the shot lanes and attack rebounds.”
On the other bench, Bennett said his team wasn’t in the game on the man-advantage.
“We just weren’t focused,” surmised Bennett.
With the victory, the Huskies will play Hockey East foe Massachusetts-Lowell for the championship, while Union will play Sacred Heart in the consolation game.
“We came here to win a trophy and that’s our goal,” Cavanaugh said.
