Huskies Come From Behind Win Shootout in Hockey East Thriller

HARTFORD, CT. –  The UConn Huskies come from behind on a goal filled afternoon, scoring six goals before forcing overtime and winning in a shootout. The Huskies came away with the extra point as freshman Jake Percival scored the shootout winner.  

Providence opened the scoring early as Nick Poisson scored only two minutes into the start of the game. The Friars did not stop there as three minutes later they tacked on another from Brett Berard. UConn looked to cut the lead in half, however the friars continued to pressure the Huskies eventually adding another goal midway through the first period to take the three-goal lead. A Providence penalty gave UConn the man advantage late in the first period, and as the power play ended, Ryan Tverberg fired a shot past Philip Svedback to get the Huskies on the board and head into the locker room trailing by two.  

The second period featured four total goals by both teams. UConn started the second period by scoring two unanswered goals to tie the game at three. John Spetz started the scoring in the period for the Huskies when he fired a one timer shot past the providence netminder. Freshman Matthew Wood followed the goal by scoring on the breakaway to tie the game at three. Providence would answer shortly after to retake the one goal lead. The Huskies continued to fight as John Spetz would skate the puck to the net and find the stick of Justin Pearson who deflected the pass in for the equalizing goal. Towards the end of the period, Justin Pearson would be issued a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct.  

Due to the penalty on Pearson, Providence would start the period on the power play. The Friars wasted no time as they scored two goals to take the 6-4 lead early in the period. With time running down, UConn pulled freshman goaltender Arsenii Sergeev with just under three minutes left in the game. The move to pull the goaltender paid off for the Huskies as freshman Samu Salminen would redirect the John Spetz shot to cut the lead to one. With under one minute to go, UConn pulled the goaltender once again for the extra skater. With five seconds left in the game Ryan Tverberg was in the right place at the right time as he took the rebound following the Andrew Lucas shot and tipped it past the goaltender to tie the game and force overtime.  

In the overtime period, neither team was able to find the back of the net as both goaltenders would make timely saves to force a shootout. In the shootout, freshman Arsenii Sergeev would stop five of six attempts, as freshman Samu Salminen and Jake Percival scored, with Percival netting the shootout winner.  

Up Next  

 UConn will begin preparing for a home and home series with UMass Lowell. The Huskies will travel to Lowell November 18, before hosting the Riverhawks Saturday November 19.