In the first 2022 Connecticut Ice semifinal matchup, UConn defeated Yale 5-1 on Saturday afternoon.
Here are the key takeaways...
- In the opening minutes, a high-bouncing puck in front of the net led to a mad scramble and eventually a goal from Yale defenseman Michael Young, as UConn goalie Darion Hanson made the initial save but couldn’t stop Young from scoring his first goal of the season.
- UConn had plenty of chances to knot things up in the first period, but Yale goaltender Luke Pearson was up to the task early, stopping the first 12 shots he faced. Finally, though, with 3:50 left in the first period, the Huskies struck off a faceoff, as Kevin O’Neil found Vladislav Firstov in front of the net for the deflection.
Then, just 27 seconds later, a shot from the point bounced off the back wall and right to O’Neil on the other side of the net. O’Neil buried the shot to quickly put UConn up 2-1, which is where the score stood after 20 minutes of action.
- UConn wasted no time to increase their lead in the second period. Just 11 seconds in, Carter Turnbull scored from a nearly impossible angle. From the right corner of the boards, Turnbull slapped the puck out in front, and a deflection off a Yale skate resulted in the puck ricocheting into the back of the net
Then, just 1:21 into the period, Yale got a little careless behind their net, and a pass deflected off a skate right to Firstov in the slot, who ripped a shot past Pearson to make it a 4-1 UConn lead.
- Yale had a power play opportunity midway through the second, and while they put a couple of pucks on net and even hit the post once, the power play was unsuccessful. The Bulldogs had three power plays in the second, but couldn’t convert on any of them, making them a remarkable 1-for-61 on the power play this season.
Late in the second, a Yale fifth goal was initially waved off because of high-sticking, but a video reviewed reversed the call, and Jachym Kondelik was credited with the goal, making it a 5-1 game after two periods.
- Through the midway point of the third period, the score remained 5-1, despite a power play chance for the Huskies. UConn's Nick Capone picked up a penalty later in the third, but once again, the Bulldogs couldn't convert, making them 1-for-63 on the power play this season.
UConn secured the 5-1 win, with Firstov scoring twice. It was just the second time in school history that they've beaten Yale.