SCHENECTADY, NY – Union College junior
Brendan Milnamow (Wilton, Conn.) factored in three third period goals as the Dutchmen defeated Connecticut, 4-1, in non-conference men's hockey action at Frank L. Messa Rink Friday evening. The defenseman assisted on a pair of goals before sinking an empty-netter for a career-high three points.
Jason Walters (Renfrew, Ontario) picked up two assists, while
Stephane Boileau (Blainville, Quebec), Adam Presizniuk (Calgary, Alberta) and
Josh Coyle (Brooklyn, Ohio) each netted a goal for the Dutchmen, who improve to 4-1-3 at home and 5-8-3 on the season. UConn drops to 5-12-1.
The two teams played a close first period, with the Dutchmen claiming an 8-6 shot advantage. UConn's Chris Spicer was whistled for tripping at 10:05, giving the Dutchmen their first power-play opportunity on the night, but it was short-lived as Union got caught with too many players on the ice just over a minute later. The teams traded power plays in the opening frame but the Huskies' tight penalty kill stymied the Dutchmen, who spent 1:13 with a two-man advantage late in the frame. Union, meanwhile, held UConn 0-for-3 on the power play in the stanza.
Boileau cracked the Huskies' kill early in the second period with his second goal of the season.
Lane Caffaro (Slave Lake, Alberta) had the puck low on the left boards and sent it out across the slot to
Michael Beynon (Nepean, Ontario) above the right circle. Beynon fired and Boileau knocked in the rebound for a 1-0 lead at 9:32 of the middle frame.
Early in the third period
John Simpson (Boxborough, Mass.) collected the puck behind UConn's net and brought it around for a two-on-one with
Justin Pallos (Glastonbury, Conn.), but Simpson's shot through his linemate's screen found UConn netminder Beau Erickson's pads.
On the Huskies' ensuing possession, Matt Pedemonti found Spicer just inside the right circle before Spicer sent a shot on net. Union goaltender
Justin Mrazek (Regina, Saskatchewan) stopped the puck but it dribbled into the net between his legs.
Union rallied for three goals in the last seven minutes of the game to keep it in check. Presizniuk struck first on the power play at 12:58 before Coyle and Milnamow sealed the game with goals just over two minutes apart late in the game.
Milnamow knocked the puck off the stick of a UConn player who was attempting to skate it out on the penalty kill, sending it down the right boards to Walters who slid it across to Presizniuk as the freshman crashed the net. Presizniuk pushed the puck over the goal line for what stood as the game-winner and his team-leading 11th point of the season.
Coyle followed by redirecting a shot by Milnamow from the left point at 17:42 for his fourth goal of the season. Coyle was planted at the right post and deftly got his stick on Milnamow's shot.
Milnamow capped the scoring by blocking a UConn shot with Erickson pulled in favor of the extra attacker, then firing a shot just inside the left post of the empty net at 19:56.
Union recorded a season-high 42 shots on net in the game, and finished 2-for-7 on the power play.
Erickson made 38 saves in the loss, while Mrazek stopped 15 shots in his fourth win of the season.
Union hits the road Saturday for a 7 p.m. game at Army. The Dutchmen return to Messa Rink next weekend to resume ECAC Hockey play with 7 p.m. games against Colgate and Cornell.
