In just his third game with the No.14 Massachusetts hockey team, freshman Vaclav Nestrasil stepped up against Stonehill, earning his first career hat trick before the buzzer sounded in the second period.

“[Scoring] is a good feeling,” Nestrasil said. “I mean, it’s not the most important thing, but obviously, three games in and I got a hat trick. I probably haven’t scored a hat trick in like three years, so it’s special for me. It’s good, but the win is more important for us, though.”

Two power play goals from Nestrasil, the No. 25 overall pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, contributed to a 2-for-4 performance for the Minutemen (3-0) on the man advantage, an area of play the team struggled in coming into Friday’s match.

“We’re just trying to just kind of find our way for what’s working right now,” Nestrasil said. “It’s early in the season and we’re going to have to figure [it] out so we can produce later, but it’s kind of been working so far so we’ve got to continue that.”

With under three minutes left on the clock in the first frame and on a 5-on-3 for UMass, Nestrasil was the first to find the back of the net for either team.

Positioned to the left of the net, the Czechia native worked through a passing sequence with his teammates. He received the puck from Jack Musa and handed it off to Daniel Jenčko, before taking it right back and carrying it from behind the net up to the post, pushing it past Connor Androlewicz before the netminder could seal off the iron to his right side.

“He’s just an elite offensive player,” head coach Greg Carvel said. “To me, it’s in his head and his stick, he’s tremendous in both of those…He’s also a goal-scorer, wants to score goals. You put those three things together, he’s going to have a positive offensive impact probably most of our games.”

Nestrasil sealed his hat trick just three minutes after he put away his second goal.

After a minute on the man advantage, Francesco Dell’Elce threw a one-timer at the net, which Androlewicz blocked away. Nestrasil and Mikey DeAngelo crashed the net, searching for the loose rebound. Nestrasil recovered it just outside the crease and backhanded the puck past the goal line.

“I was hoping [for a third goal], but I didn’t try to focus on that,” Nestrasil said. “I was just trying to play my game and I was thinking about the next one. It luckily came and I was happy.”

Thanks to Nestrasil’s trifecta of offensive production, the Minutemen never gave up a deficit to the Skyhawks (0-3). His teammates held strong and maintained the three-goal lead Nestrasil put up through the final period of play.

“[Jack Galanek] was telling me that I couldn’t get [a hat trick] in Muskegon and now I got one, so I was kind of laughing at that,” Nestrasil said. “But they were happy for me and it’s a good group so I’m happy and I’m glad I could be part of this team.”

Jenčko started the play on Nestrasil’s second goal. The sophomore brought the puck up into the offensive zone, leaving it at the right face-off circle for Galanek. The freshman wasted no time bringing it up to the top of the circle and then backhanding it to Nestrasil, who set himself up in the lane. The six-foot-six forward made quick work of letting off a one-timer before Androlewicz could move across the crease and cover the net from Nestrasil’s straight-shooting position.

Outside of his goal-scoring ability and the seven shots on goal he accumulated on Saturday, Nestrasil generates scoring chances and plays a physical game. He blocks shots and disrupts pucks when the other team has possession, making him a two-way threat.

“I want [defense] to be a huge part of my game because obviously, you know, [the] offensive side is not going to be there every time and you’ve got to be good on both [sides] of the puck,” Nestrasil said. “I try to level off my [defensive] game as much as I can so I can score [for] the team in both options. Obviously with my reach it’s easier than most guys, and I can read the play so it’s good, I’m trying to focus on it.”

A first round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, Nestrasil’s has had an immediate effect for UMass. The Chicago Blackhawks prospect scored in his debut game. Now with four goals in three games, he leads the team in scoring, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. With his size and talent, he’s a game changer for the Minutemen, and his play on Saturday proved it.

UMass return to play on Friday, Oct. 17 for its first Hockey East competition, a home game against Northeastern. Puck drop at Mullins is set for 7 p.m. and ESPN+ will stream the matchup.

Caroline Burge can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @Caroline_Burge.