Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

Pereira carrying Minutemen of late

The start of the spring semester brought struggles for the Massachusetts hockey team as it came out of the gates with four consecutive losses and just 10 goals to show for it.

Courtesy of John Sinnett

The Minutemen (11-14-5, 7-12-4 Hockey East) were starting to fall apart at the most crucial time of the year, and the inability to score enough goals was a significant part of the problem, creating the needed for someone to step up and carry the scoring load.

That’s when Michael Pereira took over.

The sophomore forward has scored at least one goal in each of the last four games, and has totaled seven points in that same stretch. During that span, UMass has found itself back in the middle of the playoff race thanks to a pair of key road wins over then-No.1 Boston University and No. 11 Maine. Pereira found the back of the net in both affairs.

By far Pereira’s most impressive performance came on Feb. 11 against Providence, when his hat trick single-handedly brought the Minutemen back from a 4-1 deficit, only to lose, 5-4, in the end. It was Pereira’s second hat trick of the season, with his first coming Oct. 14 in a 5-3 triumph over Bentley at the Mullins Center. That accomplishment made him the first UMass player to record two hat tricks in a season since four different Minutemen did so back in the 1993-1994 season.

“It’s definitely an honor,” said Pereira. “So many good players have gone through here and haven’t been able to accomplish that. It’s a credit to my teammates as well as my linemates. They do all the little things right to have an impact on me.”

Trailing by three heading into the final period against the Friars, Pereira scored two of his three goals at crucial points in the third period in order to keep UMass in it until the very end.

“If we don’t get that performance from [Pereira] then that game is never a game,” said UMass coach Don Cahoon after the team’s loss to Providence.

Pereira’s 17 goals on the season is a team-high for the Minutemen, while his 30 points is second behind senior captain T.J. Syner (31).

The West Haven, Conn., native’s value is something that doesn’t go unnoticed by UMass. The team has a 7-4-1 mark in games when Pereira scores a goal, but is just 4-10-4 when he is kept out of the net. The Minutemen are also 8-7-3 when Pereira registers at least a point, as opposed to 3-7-2 when he is held scoreless.

Pereira emerged as a goal-scorer right from the beginning of his collegiate career. He was second among HEA freshman in goals last season and fourth in points with 12 goals and 13 assists for a total of 25 points. Those numbers also put Pereira in a tie with Danny Hobbs for the team-lead in goals, while finishing third in points.

Pereira’s scoring success so early in his career comes as no surprise to Cahoon, however.

“When [Pereira] was recruited, he was one of the top point-producers in all of prep school hockey,” said Cahoon. “He has that ability to be able to score the big goal in the big moment. That’s one of his gifts.

“We’re not surprised by [Pereira’s success]. We need it and we recruited him with that in mind,” Cahoon added.

As it is for most hockey players in both the collegiate and professional level, things haven’t always come so easy for Pereira. There have been a few stretches where he has not been producing as expected, including a four-game stretch from the end of December to mid-January where he went without a point.

Pereira attributes his ability to break out of tough stretches to his brother Joe, who also understood the grind of a long season in the HEA after finishing his senior season with BU last year.

“I get my advice from [Joe],” said Pereira of his brother, whom he talks to after every game. “He tells me, ‘You got to keep staying on the ice and keep working on the little things.’ I think [the advice] has gone a long way with how I’m playing as of late.”

Whether he is at the top of his game or not, Pereira understands the importance of his role in the UMass lineup.

“Top two-line players are looked at to score goals and be a go-to guy,” said Pereira. “It’s something you have to take advantage of. Obviously you have to play well and do the little things right defensively and offensively.”

The Minutemen will be looking to Pereira to continue to be that go-to guy when they take the ice Friday night at 7 p.m. against New Hampshire at the Mullins Center.

Nick Canelas can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @MDC_Canelas.

Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All Massachusetts Daily Collegian Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *