The Minutemen gave up multiple odd-man rushes that ultimately sunk them at home against the Friars.
AMHERST – University of Massachusetts hockey coach John Micheletto knew his team would have to press to score on Providence goalie Jon Gillies, who had just returned from representing the gold-medal-winning United States at the World Junior Championships in Russia.
He also knew that came with some risk.
In the end, the risk outweighed the reward.
Despite scoring four goals on Gillies, the Minutemen couldn’t overcome a plethora of defensive errors and fell to the Friars, 5-4.
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“We certainly created enough opportunities. The problem was that we gave up too many, and it seemed like each one of those that we gave up ended up being in the back of our net,” Micheletto said. “I don’t think our mistake management has been as good as it has been.”
Perhaps the most glaring mistake came on the game-winner, when Stefan Demopolous took advantage of a 2-on-1 despite the fact that UMass was on the power play.
Demopolous faked a shot, used UMass defenseman Joel Hanley as a screen, and put one past goalie Kevin Boyle with 12:44 remaining to give the Friars the victory.
With UMass trailing 4-2 late in the second period, defenseman Darren Rowe took a pass from Kevin Czepiel, dangled around a Providence defender with a nifty toe drag, and deked to his backhand to get it past Gillies.
A little more than a minute later, Conor Sheary fought through a Providence defender in the slot, and got the puck to Branden Gracel in the corner. Gracel passed to the trailer, Conor Allen, who put it past Gillies’ outstretched glove and tied the game for the Minutemen.
UMass had the momentum at that point, and had plenty of opportunities early in the third. before Providence took the lead for good.
“Any time you come back from a deficit, you definitely have the momentum,” Boyle said. “You definitely want to keep that going, but unfortunately we hit some posts, didn’t get some bounces, and it just didn’t come out for us today.”
The game was a back-and-forth battle, featuring goals scored in quick succession.
The teams traded scores early, with Providence opening the scoring 2:14 into the game on a Derek Army goal, and UMass answering 33 seconds later on Patrick Kiley’s first of the season.
Army struck again to restore the Providence advantage, picking up the puck on the boards and curling in front to the slot before ripping a wrist shot past Boyle with 54 seconds remaining in the first.
The Minutemen tied the game 4:14 into the second when Sheary took a feed from at the top of the UMass power play and ripped a slap shot past Gillies, but the Friars responded 2:14 later when Ross Mauermann got free on the rush and beat Boyle to make it 3-2.
Demopolous scored his first goal of the game to give Providence the 4-2 lead on another rush – this one created when Allen and Czepiel collided – with 8:26 to go in the second.
The teams play again Saturday, this time at Providence’s Schneider Arena, at 7 p.m.
