LAST TIME OUT
– No. 13/14 University of Massachusetts hockey scored two aims whilst killing a significant penalty within the opening 5 mins of play to assist propel the squad to a 4-2 victory over No. 1 Denver on Friday night time on the Mullins Center after which blanked the Pioneers on Saturday night time, 3-0, to finish the weekend sweep.
– Just 38 seconds into Friday’s contest, senior Cal Kiefiuk used to be assessed a five-minute main and recreation misconduct for hitting from at the back of, striking UMass’ penalty kill to the take a look at early.
– The Minutemen replied with a shorthanded 2-on-1 as freshman Kenny Connors completed off a feed from senior Reed Lebster on the 3:33 mark for his first collegiate objective.
– Moments later, nonetheless shorthanded, Massachusetts doubled its lead. Sophomore Scott Morrow knocked house a puck from sophomores Ryan Lautenbach and Lucas Mercuri at the rush at 4:51.
– The Minutemen driven their merit to 3-0 ahead of the primary intermission. Freshman Tyson Dyck wiped clean up a rebound from Cole O’Hara and Connors to notch his first profession objective at 12:33. The helpers marked O’Hara’s first collegiate level and Connor’s first collegiate help.
– Lebster added an influence play tally for UMass to open the second one after sophomore Ryan Ufko and Morrow on the issues discovered him within the slot for the end.
– With an influence play alternative halfway during the 1/3, Denver elected to tug goaltender Magnus Chrona for a 6-on-4. As outcome, Carter Mazur transformed for the Pioneers off a feed from Jack Devine and Tristan Broz 13:19 into the body.
– The Pioneers crept nearer with every other further attacker objective at 15:48 with Casey Dornbach and Massimo Rizzo putting in Shai Buium at 15:48.
– Backed via a 45-save efficiency from sophomore goaltender Luke Pavicich, the Minutemen protection withstood Denver’s reaction and got here away with the victory regardless of the 47-15 shot merit for the Pioneers.
– UMass completed the night time 1-for-1 at the continual play and went 3-for-4 at the penalty kill. Lebster, Connors and Morrow all posted multi-point efforts with a objective and help apiece.
– On Saturday Pavicich grew to become apart all 30 photographs he confronted en path to the 3-0 shutout victory for the Minutemen, the sophomore’s first collegiate shutout.
– For a moment immediately night time, UMass jumped out to an early lead. Kiefiuk fed Morrow on the appropriate level and Morrow threaded a shot thru visitors alongside the ice for his moment of the weekend on the 37 seconds into the sport.
– With the second one length winding down, graduate pupil Matt Koopman doubled the lead for UMass, striking again his personal rebound from the slot 16:52 into the stanza for his first tally as a Minuteman. Senior Jerry Harding and senior Eric Faith earned assists at the play.
– Kiefiuk later cemented the victory with an empty netter off a blocked shot via Ufko 18:08 into the 1/3.
– Denver completed the night time with a 30-24 shot merit and each groups have been 0-for-2 at the continual play for the night.
PAVICICH & MORROW HONORED BY HOCKEY EAST
– Sophomores Luke Pavicich and Scott Morrow each earned weekly awards following the Minutemen’s weekend sweep of No. 1 Denver. Pavicich used to be tabbed the Hockey East Player of the Week and Morrow gained Defender of the Week popularity.
– Pavicich picked up each victories in internet for UMass, preventing 75 of 77 photographs opposed to the top-ranked Pioneers. The Clarence Center, New York, local had 45 saves in Friday’s 4-2 win with each aims allowed coming in shorthanded eventualities. He adopted up with a 30-save shutout, his first of his profession, as UMass finished the weekend sweep of Denver with a 3-0 victory. On the week, Pavicich registered a 1.00 aims opposed to moderate and a .974 save share over 119:53 in internet.
– Morrow scored in each video games of a weekend sweep of Denver together with a shorthanded objective whilst killing a five-minute main on Friday. He additionally dished an help in that contest for a multi-point night time. The Darien, Connecticut local adopted up via scoring the sport winner in Saturday’s 3-0 shutout, UMass’ first-ever shutout of a No. 1-ranked crew. Morrow completed with 3 issues at the weekend (2g, 1a), took seven photographs and used to be +3.
PACKING ‘EM IN
– Massachusetts drew a blended 13,612 lovers over its two house video games opposed to Denver final weekend, marking the biggest blended attendance for a weekend collection opposed to a non-conference opponent in program historical past, surpassing the overall of 12,358 who got here during the turnstiles on the Mullins Center to peer the Minutemen face Michigan State on Oct. 18-19 in 2013.
– The simplest two weekend attendance marks to surpass the Denver weekend general have been March 9-10, 2007 when 15,181 sturdy have been within the development to peer UMass face Maine within the Hockey East Tournament and 14,439 one week previous because the Minutemen closed out the common season opposed to the Black Bears in entrance of 14,439 on March 2-3, 2007.
DOWN GOES NO. 1
– UMass’ two wins over then-No. 1 Denver final weekend marked the Minutemen’s 7th and eighth-ever wins in program historical past over a No. 1 ranked crew with Saturday’s 3-0 victory being the primary shutout of a No. 1 ranked foe. In program historical past. The final time Massachusetts crowned a No. 1 ranked crew previous to this season got here at No. 1/2 Boston College, 3-2 in extra time on February 26, 2021.
– UMass’ first-ever win over a non-league foe ranked No. 1 used to be a 6-3 victory at Ohio State on October 19, 2019, in Columbus. The Minutemen’s different 4 wins opposed to No. 1 groups have been: 2/10/12 at Boston University (3-2), 11/5/11 vs. Boston College (5-1), 11/14/08 vs. Boston University (5-1) and 1/28/95 vs. Maine (4-2).
BAY STATE, OL’ BAY STATE
– UMass has 5 Massachusetts natives at the roster this season: Mikey Adamson (Quincy), Kennedy O’Connor (Springfield), Linden Alger (Centerville), Matt Koopman (Marblehead) and Jerry Harding (Canton), probably the most for a Minuteman squad for the reason that crew had 8 Massachusetts natives in 2013-14.
SETTING THE SCENE
– 2022-23 marks the 7th season of the Greg Carvel generation at UMass. The Minutemen underwent a number of workforce adjustments within the offseason as Tom Upton signed on as an assistant trainer, coming to Amherst from the USHL, Nolan Gluchowski used to be increased into an assistant trainer position and previous UMass ahead Jacob Pritchard has returned as a volunteer assistant trainer.
– Seventeen gamers from UMass’ 2022 Hockey East Championship squad are again for 2022-23—10 forwards, 5 defensemen and two goaltenders. The Minutemen go back 50 in their 117 aims from final season, 42.7%, and 47.2% in their issues (150 of 318).
IN CARVEL WE TRUST
– Under head trainer Greg Carvel, the Minutemen are 7-2 within the NCAA Tournament with two journeys to the National Final (2019 and 2021) and one National Championship (2021) and feature made 3 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances below Carvel.
– UMass is 20-37 all-time within the Hockey East Tournament, 10-6 below Carvel and 8-1 since 2019 with back-to-back Hockey East Tournament titles, the primary two in program historical past.
– Overall below Carvel (Hockey East and NCAA Tournament) UMass’ postseason checklist is 17-8 with two Hockey East Championships, two Regional Championships and one National Championship.
– Carvel, seven seasons into his UMass tenure, has led the Minutemen to 4 consecutive seasons of 20+ wins, together with a program-record 31 wins in 2018-19, the second-highest wins general in program historical past (22 in 2021-22), 21 wins in 2019-20 (tied-third) and 20 wins in 2020-21 (tied-fifth).
– Carvel received his one hundredth recreation on the helm for the Minutemen on November 6, 2021 at Providence. He earned his 2 hundredth profession victory on March, 12, 2022 vs. the Friars within the Hockey East Quarterfinals.
– As of the beginning of the 2022-23 marketing campaign, UMass trailed simplest Minnesota State (152), Minnesota Duluth (113) and Quinnipiac (112) for many wins during the last 5 seasons with 111.
THE PREMIERE DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAM IN COLLEGE HOCKEY
– In August of 2021, Massachusetts Hockey used to be named the tip developmental program in NCAA Men’s College Hockey via The Hockey News.
– In the Greg Carvel generation, 12 Minutemen have signed NHL contracts, together with 8 people who got here to UMass undrafted. Five further gamers have signed AHL offers.
– Carvel mentored 2019 Hobey Baker winner Cale Makar who has since long gone directly to win the Calder Trophy, the Norris Trophy and the Conn Smythe Trophy whilst main the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup in 2022. Makar is one in all 3 Hobey Baker Top-10 Finalists Carvel has coached at UMass, together with John Leonard and Bobby Trivigno.
– Under Carvel, Minutemen have earned seven All-America honors, 19 Hockey East All-Star nods and 6 New England All-Star recognitions. He has coached this system’s first two Hockey East Players of the Year in Makar and Trivigno and its first Hockey East Rookie of the 12 months in Josh Lopina.
– Massachusetts used to be tied for 7th at the listing of colleges who produced probably the most 2021-22 NHLers with 13.
– UMass is one in all 10 colleges with 10 or extra alumni on NHL rosters to start out the 2022-23 season, with 10. Michigan (21), Boston College (20), Boston University (18), Minnesota (18), North Dakota (15), Wisconsin (15), Denver (12), Minnesota Duluth (12) and Notre Dame (10) make up the rest of the gang.
SENIOR TRIO TO LEAD MINUTEMEN IN 2022-23
– UMass has named senior ahead Eric Faith as crew captain for 2022-23. His classmates, forwards Reed Lebster and Jerry Harding, will function the assistant captains for the protecting Hockey East Champions.
– Faith has logged 12 issues over three-plus seasons with the Maroon & White on 3 aims and 9 assists together with two recreation winners over 70 contests and is a key asset for the Minutemen over the faceoff dots. He gave the impression in a career-high 32 video games as a junior in 2021-22 and is a local of Carp, Ontario.
– Lebster has 38 profession issues over 85 video games on 22 aims and 16 assists, with 5 power-play aims, 3 recreation winners and is +17. The Grand Rapids, Michigan, local noticed motion in 36 of 37 contests final season and registered a profession excessive 18 issues on 9 aims and 9 assists to complete 6th within the squad in issues and 5th in aims.
– Harding, a Canton, Massachusetts local, has performed in 58 video games over 3 seasons after shifting from Providence following his freshman 12 months. He has tallied 3 aims and 5 assists for 8 issues in a UMass uniform.
PROSPECTS APLENTY
– The Massachusetts roster options 10 NHL draft selections, probably the most in program historical past, which is tied for 8th nationally and tied for 1/3 in Hockey East. Six of the ten draftees are learners to the squad for 2022-23, together with a couple of transfers in senior ahead Josh Nodler (Calgary, 2019 5th spherical) and junior goaltender Cole Brady (New Jersey, 2019 5th spherical) in conjunction with rookies forwards Tyson Dyck (Ottawa, 2022 7th spherical), Kenny Connors (Los Angeles, 2022 fourth spherical) and Cole O’Hara (Nashville, 2022 fourth spherical), and freshman defenseman Noah Ellis (Vegas, 2020 6th spherical).
– The 4 returning draftees are all sophomores: Scott Morrow (Carolina, 2021 moment spherical), Taylor Makar (Colorado, 2021 7th spherical), Lucas Mercuri (Carolina, 2020 6th spherical) and Ryan Ufko (Nashville, 2021 fourth spherical).
BLUELINERS BACK
– The Minutemen go back 3 folks at the blueline who noticed vital time within the lineup final season, led via 2022 First Team All-American and First Team Hockey East All-Star Scott Morrow. Morrow, the primary rookie in program historical past to earn All-America popularity, is one in all simply 4 First Team All-Americans returning to university hockey in 2022-23.
– He will glance to construct on an excellent freshman marketing campaign which noticed him end moment for UMass in scoring with 33 issues on 13 aims and 20 assists, showing in all 37 video games. He ended the season tied for 6th a few of the country’s rookies in aims (13), 7th in issues (33) and eleventh in issues per-game (.892). He used to be 1/3 amongst rookie defensemen in issues per-game, moment in aims and issues and 5th in assists (20).
– Among all defensemen nationally, Morrow completed 8th in issues per-game, tied for fourth in aims and 5th in issues. He completed his rookie marketing campaign +11 and contributed 3 power-play aims and 3 recreation winners. The Darien Connecticut local changed into the fourth defenseman in program historical past to succeed in the 30-point plateau and primary to take action as a freshman, later joined via classmate Ryan Ufko. Morrow’s 13 aims tied for fourth-most via a defenseman in one season in program historical past, with the one Minutemen defensemen to attain extra in one season being UMass Hall of Famer Thomas Poeck (two times) and Hobey Baker winner Cale Makar (16 in 2018-19).
– Morrow used to be Hockey East’s peak scoring rookie and led all defensemen in league play with 23 issues over 24 video games. He tied for 7th with 11 aims and tied for 6th in issues per-game (9.583), first amongst newbies and primary amongst defensemen in each classes.
– Ufko used to be a Hockey East Honorable Mention All-Star and a Hockey East All-Rookie Team honoree final season and completed moment at the squad in assists with 26 over 37 video games to head in conjunction with 5 aims for 31 issues, excellent for 1/3 at the Minutemen roster. He led Hockey East in league play with 19 assists in 24 video games and tied for 6th in scoring in league motion with 22 issues as he additionally netted 3 aims.
– Ufko completed tied for the nationwide lead amongst rookie defensemen in assists and 1/3 amongst rookie defensemen in issues. He contributed 3 power-play aims and one shorthanded objective and posted a +5 score at the 12 months.
– Junior Aaron Bohlinger ignored time because of harm final season however nonetheless controlled to place up 13 issues (2g, 11a) over 30 video games, together with the extra time recreation winner over UConn within the Hockey East name recreation. Two of his 3 profession aims are championship clinchers as he additionally had the sport winner for the Minutemen within the 2021 National Championship vs. St. Cloud State.
NEXT STOP: AMHERST, MA
– The Minutemen have 5 gamers on their 2022-23 roster who started their collegiate careers at different establishments ahead of electing to switch to UMass, together with 4 new arrivals for this season.
– 6-5, 181-pound left catch goaltender Cole Brady, a 2019 5th spherical draft pick out of the New Jersey Devils (127th general), involves UMass as a switch out of Arizona State and shall be a junior for the Minutemen this autumn. Over two years with the Sun Devils, Brady gave the impression in 25 video games with 23 begins and posted a three.60 goals-against moderate and a .905 save share with one shutout. He had 30+ saves in 17 video games and recorded 40+ saves on 5 events.
– 5-10, 180-pound, left-shot ahead Matt Koopman joins the Minutemen as a graduate switch following 4 years at Providence. Koopman noticed motion in 113 video games with the Friars and posted 32 issues on 15 aims and 17 assists and used to be +7. As a freshman, he used to be a part of the Providence squad that reached the 2019 Frozen Four.
– 5-11, 193-pound, left-shot defenseman Elliott McDermott involves UMass following two seasons at Colgate and has junior eligibility this season. McDermott gave the impression in 62 video games over two seasons at Colgate and registered 19 issues on 4 aims and 15 assists. The Kingston, Ontario local used to be a two-time ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team and Raider Academic Honor Roll member.
– 5-10, 195-pound, right-shot ahead Josh Nodler, a 2019 5th spherical (a hundred and fiftieth general) draft pick out of the Calgary Flames, joins the Minutemen after enjoying 3 seasons at Michigan State and is a senior for UMass this season. Nodler gave the impression in 99 video games over 3 seasons with the Spartans and registered 34 issues on 13 aims and 21 assists with 5 power-play aims and two recreation winners. The Oak Park, Michigan local received 54.1% of his faceoffs as a junior, excellent for moment at the crew, whilst taking a squad-best 573 attracts. Nodler earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2020-21 and 2021-22, received the crew’s Amo Bessone Award, honoring athletic and educational fulfillment in conjunction with neighborhood involvement in 2020-21 and used to be an AHCA Krampade All-American Scholar in 2019-20, whilst additionally incomes the crew’s Rookie of the Year award.
– The switch portal has been sort to the Minutemen in fresh reminiscence—St. Lawrence switch Carson Gicewicz led UMass in with 17 aims in 2020-21 with 4 coming on the NCAA Regional. Minnesota switch Garrett Wait scored the extra time recreation winner opposed to Minnesota Duluth to ship UMass to the 2021 National Championship recreation and completed with 17 issues (9g, 8a) in his first season with the Minutemen and post 25 issues (13g, 12a) as a senior. Providence switch Jerry Harding has introduced a bodily presence to the UMass and is now dressed in a letter as a senior.
– In the Minutemen’s 2018-19 run to the National Championship recreation, St. Lawrence switch Jacob Pritchard logged 47 issues in 41 video games that season, together with seven power-play aims.
MINUTEMEN MAKING RETURN TO FRIENDSHIP FOUR
– Massachusetts hockey will make its go back to Belfast, Northern Ireland as a player within the 2022 Friendship Four. The Minutemen, who first performed within the event in 2016, shall be joined via UMass Lowell, Dartmouth and Quinnipiac within the four-team box.
– UMass will face UMass Lowell within the opening spherical on Friday, November 25, at 7 p.m. GMT (2 p.m. EST) and can play both Dartmouth or Quinnipiac in both the third-place recreation (3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. EST) or Championship (7 p.m. GMT/2 p.m. EST) on Saturday, November 26 at SSE Arena in Belfast.
– The Friendship Four used to be born in Belfast in 2015, marking the beginning of a extremely in style world ice hockey event that continues to develop to at the present time. The event used to be devised and has been advanced via The Odyssey Trust, to advertise schooling, social welfare, and neighborhood integration in Northern Ireland, development at the sister towns settlement between Belfast and Boston. The event final came about in Belfast in 2019 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. UMass took on Vermont and St. Lawrence in its first travel to the Friendship Four in 2016 throughout Carvel’s first season in Amherst.
2022 POST-HOLIDAY PLANS SORTED
– The Minutemen will compete within the 2022 Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off on the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on December 28-29. UMass will sign up for Clarkson, Lake Superior State and Wisconsin within the four-team box.
– Semifinals of the second one annual Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off will happen on Wednesday, December 28 with the Championship recreation and third-place recreation on Thursday, December 29. The Minutemen will open the Tournament opposed to Clarkson and can play both Lake Superior State or Wisconsin within the comfort/championship spherical.
HOME IS WHERE THE WINS ARE
– UMass have long gone 69-19-5 on the Mullins Center during the last three-plus seasons (2018-present) for a .769 profitable share. This stretch incorporated a 16-game unbeaten streak (15-0-1) that started on Jan. 11, 2019 opposed to Vermont and got here to an finish on Nov. 30, 2019 with a 2-1 loss to Quinnipiac.
CHARTING SUCCESS
– The Minutemen had been nationally ranked in 96 immediately ballot weeks since October 22, 2018 after in the past no longer being ranked in both ballot since February 2010, lately sitting at No. 6 in each the USCHO.com ballot a america Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men’s College Hockey ballot, the crew’s easiest rating since October 4, 2021.
– For the primary time in program historical past, the Minutemen have been No. 1 in each the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men’s College Hockey preseason polls in 2021-22, along with being decided on because the preseason favourite in Hockey East. UMass entered the 2019-20 season ranked No. 4 within the USCHO.com ballot and No. 5 in america Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll, which used to be the primary time the Minutemen opened a season ranked in both ballot. The Maroon & White debuted at No. 10 within the 2022-23 preseason polls.
– History used to be made on Dec. 3, 2018 because the Minutemen earned their first No. 1 nationwide rating in program historical past, sitting on the peak of the USCHO.com ballot with 26 first-place votes and 964 issues. UMass used to be ranked for 20 immediately weeks to finish the 2018-19 season and earned a No. 2 rating within the ultimate polls.
– UMass entered the nationwide scores on Oct. 22, 2018 coming in at No. 16 within the USCHO.com ballot. The final time the Minutemen have been ranked previous to October 2018 used to be within the USCHO.com ballot launched on Feb. 15, 2010.
– On November 5, 2018, UMass moved as much as No. 9 within the USCHO.com Poll and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men’s College Hockey Poll within the No. 9 spot as neatly, the easiest rating for the Minutemen since November 30, 2009 (No. 9).
– UMass surpassed all earlier highs in scores on Nov. 12, 2018 when the squad used to be sitting at No. 4 in each polls.
– Previously the easiest rating in program historical past got here within the USCHO.com ballot on Dec. 31, 2007 at No. 5. The Minutemen spent six weeks within the top-10 throughout the 2007-08 season.
– After sitting within the No. 4 spot for 2 weeks, UMass advanced upon its all-time easiest rating, transferring as much as No. 3 in each polls on Nov. 26, 2018.
– The Minutemen earned their first-ever top-10 rating (No. 9) on Nov. 10, 2003 and ranked as excessive as No. 7 that season.
– UMass gathered its first-ever nationwide rating on Jan. 6, 2003. (No. 15 USCHO.com ballot/No. 14 USA Today/American Hockey Magazine Poll).
– On Jan. 14, 2019, UMass gained its first No. 1 rating in america Today/USA Hockey Magazine ballot.
BLOODLINES AND FAMILY TIES
– Taylor Makar and his brother Cale (2017-19) are the 5th set of brothers to put on the Maroon & White in this system’s fashionable generation. The different 4 units of brothers are: Anthony Del Gaizo (2018-22) and Marc Del Gaizo (2018-21), James Marcou 2007-10 and Michael Marcou 2008-12; Jeff Turner 1997-2001 and Tim Turner 1999-2003; Mike Warner 2000-04 and Tim Warner 2001-05.
– Linden Alger’s father, Richard, performed for UMass in this system’s inaugural Division I season (1993-94) after which performed the following two campaigns at Boston University (1995-97). Kennedy O’Connor’s father, Thomas, used to be a teammate of Alger’s at UMass in 1993-94 and performed with this system thru 1998 ahead of occurring to a pro profession with the Wheeling Nailers (1998-99) and Augusta Lynx (2000-01) of the ECHL and the Syracuse Crunch (1998-99) and Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins (1999-00) of the AHL. O’Connor’s sister, Kayla, used to be a school hockey participant as neatly, enjoying at Trinity from 2014 to 2018.
– Scott Morrow’s uncle, Scott (1988-92), and pa, Steve Morrow (1988-91), each performed school hockey at New Hampshire.
– Owen Murray’s nice uncle, Dallas Smith, performed for the Boston Bruins from 1966 to 1977.
– Michael Cameron’s brother, Matt, performs school hockey at Niagara and is getting into his junior season with the Purple Eagles.