Hockey: Jonny Evans Delivers Overtime Win Over UNH
HARTFORD, Conn. – UConn senior Jonny Evans (North Delta, British Columbia) buried the game-winning goal 1:58 into overtime to deliver the Huskies a 3-2 Hockey East win over New Hampshire Saturday afternoon at the XL Center to split the weekend series.
The Huskies take two points on Saturday and snap a three-game skid, improving to 7-6-0 in Hockey East and 10-10-0 overall. The Wildcats, who secured four of the six league points up for grabs on the weekend, see their five-game win streak come to an end and are now 7-7-1 in-league and 12-11-1 overall.
UConn took a 2-1 lead into the third period after second-period goals from senior Marc Gatcomb (Woburn, Mass.) and freshman Sasha Teleguine (North Attleboro, Mass.), his first collegiate goal.
UNH tied it up at 14:13 in the third period on a Filip Engaras goal, and the Huskies then killed off a late power-play chance for the Wildcats to force the overtime setting up the Evans tally. New Hampshire had a 1-0 lead after the first thanks to Jackson Pierson's 11th goal of the year.
New Hampshire goaltender Mike Robinson stopped 37 shots as the Huskies held a 40-25 edge on the shot chart. UConn goaltender Darion Hanson (East Bethel, Minn.) stopped 23 for the win.
1st period:
The Wildcats grabbed a late 1-0 lead thanks to Pierson's 11th goal on the season. Colton Huard dug the puck out of the right corner and fed Pierson in the low slot who beat Hanson five-hole to put UNH up 1-0 at 17:05.
2nd period:
UConn tied the game up just 2:41 into the second on Gatcomb's sixth of the season. Coming off a face-off win in the UNH zone, Jake Flynn (Bridgewater, Mass.) fed the senior at the high point who one-timed a shot that found its way through heavy traffic in front to beat a screened Robinson to pull even at 1-1.
The Huskies took their first lead of the night at 13:07 just after a power play ended on a rush into the zone. Gatcomb fired a shot and the rebound found the stick of Teleguine on the right side who buried the rebound for his first career goal and a 2-1 edge.
3rd period:
UNH got the game even at 14:13 on Engaras's fifth goal on the season. Ryan Verrier snapped a shot from just inside the blue line that went wide and off the boards behind the net where Engaras picked it up near the right post putting it home.
OT:
Evans dropped the puck at the blue line and flew into the zone to the net where Kevin O'Neil (Latham, N.Y.) threaded a perfect pass cross-ice back to the senior. Evans collected and buried it for the 3-2 win.
Up Next:
UConn will stay at home and host Merrimack on Tuesday, January 25 in a make-up of their previously scheduled December 4 match-up.
Source: UConn Athletics
