FARGO, N.D — Aydar Suniev called game for the No. 13 Massachusetts hockey team in its 5-4 overtime win over the No. 5 Minnesota Golden Gophers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night.
As Ryan Chesley fell to the ice in the neutral zone, Dans Locmelis picked up the puck along the boards. Locmelis skated through the neutral zone and into the Golden Gophers’ (25-11-4) zone down the middle of the ice. The sophomore sent a backhander that Suniev tipped in on goaltender Liam Souliere. The goal sent Minnesota home and kept UMass’ (21-13-5) tournament alive.
The second line didn’t just get the overtime winner but also were the difference makers in the third period for the Minutemen.
To start off the game, the young line struggled to find their footing, not producing offense in the first 40 minutes. Daniel Jenčko entered the game having not played since March 7 due to an injury. With not playing since that time, the Slovakia native needed the first two periods as a time to adjust to the game.
“Suniev and his line wasn’t very good for two periods,” head coach Greg Carvel said. “Jenčko hadn’t played in three weeks as he just said. It took him awhile to get going.”
With UMass down 3-1 with less than 15 minutes left in the third period, the Minutemen needed to find two goals and fast. When the second line came on the ice for UMass, they were exactly what the Minutemen needed.
As the puck came down along the boards, Jenčko skated alongside Luke Mittelstadt. With a shoulder check to Mittelstadt and him falling down to the ice, the freshman retrieved the puck. With a wide open Suniev directly in front of him, he quickly turned and tapped the puck to Suniev. As Brodie Ziemer dove towards the sophomore, Suniev quickly shot the puck past goaltender Liam Souliere’s right side and into net.
“We’re down 3-1 going into the third [period],” Suniev said. “I was just trying to get pucks on net and get something going there. I was just glad [Jenčko] and [Locmelis] found me, it was just a great play.”
The goal not only ignited the second line, but up and down the UMass lineup, showing a sign of hope for the Minutemen.
Shortly after the goal, Souliere skated to the Minnesota bench, needing to sit due to an equipment issue. Due to the issue, the Golden Gophers put in Nathan Airey. The second-string goaltender had no time to warm up, allowing the second line to take advantage.
In the shift after the goaltender switch, Owen Murray came skating around Matthew Wood. The defender threw the puck on net as Jenčko screened Airey. The sophomore redirected the puck, getting a piece of it with his stick and into the net to tie the game at 3-3.
“It means a lot,” Suniev said about having Jenčko back in the lineup. “..I think having him back in the lineup definitely is better for our team. I think he played outstanding [on Thursday] so he definitely contributed to our team win.”
The goal was Jenčko’s first goal in 13 games after he couldn’t find the back of the net for a stretch of the season. His last goal was on Jan. 17 in UMass’ 3-2 loss against Merrimack on the road.
The second line and Minutemen will look to keep the momentum going in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against Western Michigan. Puck drop is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 29 and can be streamed on ESPNU.
“When we play to our identity, we always get what we deserve,” Suniev said. “So that was the key to our success [on Thursday].”
Kayla Gregoire can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @Kaygregoire.
