STORRS, CT -- Three third period goals by the 15th-ranked University of Massachusetts men's ice hockey team (11-5-0) halted the 18th-ranked Union College Dutchmen's nine-game unbeaten streak with 4-3 loss on Tuesday afternoon at the 2009 Toyota UConn Classic. Despite three special teams' goals by the Dutchmen, the Minutemen prevailed, erasing 3-1 third period deficit.
UMass sophomore's Casey Wellman's second goal of the game and 15th of the season with 4:39 remaining proved to be the game-winner.
The Dutchmen's offensive attack was led by power-play goals by senior
Jason Walters and freshman
Jeremy Welsh, which complemented junior
Andrew Buote's second career shorthanded goal. Walters extended his scoring streak to a career-best eight games with his eighth goal of the season, while Welsh picked up his fifth goal.
Freshman forward
Greg Coburn registered a career-high two assists, while senior
Mike Schreiber earned his ninth assist and 13th point of the season.
A 5-on-3 power play led to the Dutchmen's first goal with Walters scoring on a one-timer from just inside the right circle. Schreiber and sophomore
Kelly Zajac controlled the puck atop of the left circle and Zajac allowed a pass to go through his skates to Walters at 15:57.
Union took advantage of a UMass hitting from behind penalty and a five-minute elbowing call to give them a two-man advantage. Freshman goaltender
Keith Kinkaid took the elbow while playing the puck at the left halfwall. Moments earlier he had kept the game scoreless when he made a sliding, left-pad save on a one-timer by Wellman. Kinkaid made seven stops in the opening period.
After UMass sophomore T. J. Snyer made it 1-1 at 12:11 of the second period, Buote gave Union its second lead of the game. Coburn gained possession in the defensive zone, fired a clearing shot towards center ice where Buote skated in on the breakaway, beating UMass's Dan Meyers blocker side at 13:46.
The game appeared to be heading to a 2-1 second intermission, but an outlet pass by Coburn to Welsh gave Union a 3-1 advantage with seven seconds remaining.
The Minutemen came out gunning in the third with goal by Wellman and senior Will Ortiz at 5:37 and 6:58, respectively.
Union freshman Kinkaid made 17 saves, going to 5-2-2 on the year. At the other end Meyers turned away 36 shots.
Union play the second game of the tournament on Wednesday, Dec. 30 at 4:05 p.m./7:05 p.m. against the winner/loser of the UConn-Bentley game.
