{"id":88486,"date":"2018-10-20T21:25:36","date_gmt":"2018-10-21T02:25:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uscho.com\/?p=88486"},"modified":"2020-08-24T14:16:52","modified_gmt":"2020-08-24T19:16:52","slug":"88486","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp-admin.uscho.com\/2018\/10\/20\/88486\/","title":{"rendered":"GAME OF THE WEEK: Union’s opportunistic offense and lockdown defense earn 3-1 win, sweep of Northeastern"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Union’s Anthony Rinaldo collides with Northeastern’s Tyler Madden on Saturday. Union won the game 3-1 to earn a weekend road sweep of the Huskies (photo: Jim Pierce\/Northeastern Athletics).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

BOSTON — If you\u2019re going to be playing Union at any point this season, be prepared to find a way to penetrate a solid defense.<\/p>\n

The No. 20 Dutchmen smothered No. 12 Northeastern for much of Saturday night\u2019s contest and used the ability to capitalize on mistakes to earn a 3-1 victory and a weekend road sweep to improve to 4-0-1 on the young season.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir defense is very explosive and we were just trying to get in the shot lanes,\u201d said Union coach Rick Bennett, whose team a year ago began the season 0-5-0. \u201cWe just had to be tough around their net front, box out, get their sticks and limit the chances from the point.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mission accomplished for this Union squad, which continuously improved as the game went on. It allowed six grade \u2018A\u2019 chance in the first, three in the second and none in the third.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first two periods, I thought we had a lot of shots,\u201d said Northeastern coach Jim Madigan. \u201cA lot of them were from the outside because that\u2019s how they play. They box it up in tight. They give you the low-to-high [pass] and the shot from the point. We were trying to spread it out a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the Union defense was sound on Saturday, its last line might have been the best. Netminder Darion Hanson finished the night with 31 saves including a number of point blank chances in the first and a solid, off-angle save on Brandon Hawkins during a Northeastern power play that helped maintain a 2-1 lead with less than 13 minutes left.<\/p>\n

It was Hanson\u2019s second straight start and win, that after senior Jake Kupsky started the first three games of the season, posting a 2-0-1 mark.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a perfect luxury for Bennett, who admits he might like to have a number one goaltender but also noting that a tandem situation isn\u2019t all that bad if it works.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the old proverbial situation of taking the ball and running with it,\u201d said Bennett. \u201cIn this case it\u2019s the puck.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoaltenders work the hardest and [neither of them complain]. They just work hard and have a good attitude. I think they\u2019re rewarded for it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you need a number one when you\u2019re going into the playoffs, but we\u2019re not even thinking about the playoffs, we\u2019re thinking about the next weekend coming up.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the other side of the puck, Union found ways to score all weekend. On Friday, the Dutchmen rallied from two goals down to earn a 5-4 overtime win. Saturday, they got an early power-play goal from Sebastian Vidmar and followed that less than five minutes later when Jack Adams buried a goal alone in the low slot.<\/p>\n

Vidmar\u2019s goal with 5:41 left, after Grant Josefek brought Northeastern within a goal in the second, became the nail in the coffin.<\/p>\n

\n

Quick win on the offensive-zone face off and 27?? puts it in the back of the net. Lone ? goes to 17?? on the draw. pic.twitter.com\/emWqTwm53o<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Union Hockey (@Unionmhockey) October 21, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n