The men’s hockey team ended 2011 on a high note, winning the Mariucci Classic Tournament with a 3-2 New Year’s Eve victory over host school and No. 2 University of Minnesota before a crowd of 8,765.
The win extends the Huskies’ unbeaten streak to eight games. They have not lost since dropping a 4-2 road decision to the University of Massachusetts Nov. 12.
“Obviously a great victory for our team, coming into this building and playing against a school with the quality of play like Minnesota,” head coach Jim Madigan said. “This was just great for our guys to come and obviously get the victory and win the tournament. That was our goal coming out.”
Despite a scoreless first period, Madigan conceded that Minnesota’s tenacious play caught the Huskies off guard in the opening 20 minutes.
“[Minnesota] plays the game fast and they think the game fast,” Madigan said. “So you’ve got to play to their level quickly because the way they play the game. That’s why I think we were on our heels a little bit until we got used to their speed and pace.”
Sophomore forward Nate Condon gave Minnesota (15-6-1, 11-3-0 Western College Hockey) a 1-0 lead with a shorthanded goal 55 seconds in the second period. Northeastern rebounded thanks to the Golden Gophers committing 12 penalties and surrendering three five-on-three power play opportunities throughout the game.
The Huskies (8-7-3, 4-7-2 Hockey East) scored their first power play goal of the game when junior forward Justin Daniels won an offensive zone face-off to classmate Vinny Saponari. Saponari one-timed a shot past senior goalie Kent Patterson to level the score at 1-1 for his third goal of the season.
“It’s a good confidence-booster, for our power play and for us as a team, to be able to put a team away on the power play,” sophomore forward Braden Pimm said.
Junior forward Steve Quailer added an even strength goal at 5:38 of the second frame to give the Huskies a 2-1 lead and extend his scoring streak to nine games.
At 14:23 in the third, junior forward Garrett Vermeersch blew a shot past Patterson for the Huskies’ second five-on-three goal of the game and a 3-1 lead.
“I think we could have maybe gotten a couple more [goals], but we did take advantage” of the man-advantage opportunities, Madigan said. “We got a couple power play goals.”
Vermeersch’s third goal of the year proved to be the game-winner, but Minnesota made it a one-goal game with an extra attacker on the ice after pulling goalie Patterson with 17.9 seconds to play. Senior forward Taylor Matson beat junior goalie Chris Rawlings with his sixth goal of the season, but the rally was stymied by the Huskies.
Madigan said Monday that he is not concerned about the Huskies’ ability to play with a lead.
“I think we’ve done a real good job,” Madigan added. “I think we’ve played well with the lead as a team. What I think the problem was [against Princeton] was that we were undisciplined, taking too many penalties and we lost a little focus because of our undisciplined-ness (sic).”
The Huskies advanced to the championship game after beating the Princeton Tigers the night before in a shootout. Justin Daniels scored in the eighth round to clinch the victory for the Huskies.
Pimm scored two goals against Princeton and added an assist on Quailer’s goal Saturday night, earning him the title of tournament MVP. Pimm, Saponari, sophomore defenseman Anthony Bitteto and Rawlings each earned All-Tournament Team honors.
Pimm credited his performance in the tournament and the team’s success in the championship game to their collective efforts as a unit.
“For me, personally, I’m playing with my teammates and my two linemates, and they make it easy for me to get those points,” Pimm said. “So it’s a good team win, especially against a good team like Minnesota.”
Madigan added that the play of Rawlings was a difference-maker throughout the tournament and 2011 as a whole.
“No disrespect to any of the goaltenders in Hockey East, I think [Rawlings is] the best goalie in Hockey East,” Madigan said. “I think he’s the best goalie in the country. He’s helped us out with a young defense early on as we made a transition, and a young coach staff and new systems, and the guy’s a rock back there for us. He’s been very good all year long.”
Saturday’s win marked the third time this season that the unranked Huskies have knocked off the country’s No. 2 team. The Huskies swept two games at then-No. 2 Notre Dame Dec. 2 and 3.
The Huskies open 2012 with a home scrimmage against the United States U-18 National Team Development Program Saturday at 7 p.m. at Matthews Arena. Back in Hockey East play, Boston University will make their first visit this season to St. Botolph Street Jan. 13. The Huskies will face off against Boston College the following night at Fenway Park as part of Frozen Fenway at 6 p.m.
“I look at this weekend not as a scrimmage, but we’re approaching it as a game,” Madigan said. “We need to play well this weekend to build on whatever type of success we’re gonna have the following weekend against BU and BC. That’ll be a good test for us mentally…And any time we take the ice and the puck is dropped, we want to win.”
