The No. 17 Massachusetts hockey team couldn’t pick up what is becoming an elusive first Hockey East win Friday night in Vermont, as it tied UVM 3-3. The teams skated to a stalemate in the overtime period before the Catamounts (1-4-3, 1-2-2 HEA) picked up the extra HEA point with a 1-0 win in the shootout.
UMass (4-3-2, 0-1-2 HEA) carried leads of 1-0 and 2-1 through the first 30 minutes of the game, but two goals from UVM in the second period gave it a lead as the final 20 minutes of regulation commenced.
Although the season is in its early stages, the Minutemen already have plenty of experience playing from behind in the third period, and once again on Friday night in Burlington, the team in maroon sweaters needed some late-game magic to even the score up.
UMass got that magic, and it came from an unexpected hero in freshman James Duerr. Already with his first career goal and assist on the Minutemen’s first two tallies, Duerr’s success extended into the third period, when he batted home a rebound from a point shot from Francesco Dell’Elce to tie the score at three midway through the period.
Duerr, along with his linemates Nick VanTassell and Bo Cosman, factored in on all three of the UMass goals.
UMass successfully killed off a penalty in overtime, but UVM’s talent shone through in the shootout, as Joel Määtä scored with a backhand tuck in the first round while the Minutemen were stonewalled on all three attempts by Catamount goaltender Keenan Rancier.
“I thought UVM came out in the first 10 minutes and were flying,” UMass head coach Greg Carvel said. “We got our feet under us and I liked our last 50 minutes. A couple of penalties took the momentum away from us, but I was happy with our game.”
Owen Murray buried his second goal of the season to get UMass off to a hot start just over three minutes into the game. With defensive pressure flooding the right side of the offensive zone, Cosman kicked the puck to the junior at the point, where he walked the blueline and created separation for himself. Allowing time for Duerr and VanTassell to scramble to the front of the net to screen Rancier, Murray sent a wicked wrister over his right shoulder.
UMass faced some penalty trouble throughout the game, as it was penalized three times to UVM’s one. The Catamounts took advantage of Cole O’Hara’s leg-tripping penalty in the first period when Phillip Tornqvist drilled a point shot home to tie the game at one midway through the frame.
Duerr’s first goal of his collegiate career was an impactful one in the waning minutes of the first period. Duerr planted himself in front of the net during an offensive zone attack from the Minutemen and slapped home a rebound from Linden Alger’s point shot, giving the lead back to UMass six minutes after UVM had tied it up.
The Catamounts wasted no time however, coming out in the second period with the back of the twine on the front of their minds. Simon Jellus took advantage of sloppy defensive zone play from UMass to tie the game at two just 33 seconds into the period.
Xavier Henry scored his first goal of the season midway through the second to give UVM a 3-2 lead.
It will be a quick turnaround for UMass, with game two of the weekend set for Saturday night, same time and place as Friday. Puck drop at Gutterson Fieldhouse is slated for 7 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.
Matt Skillings can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @matt_skillings.
