Best of the UConn Hockey Hub: Chase Bradley makes immediate impact in return from injury

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Among UConn's regular forwards, Chase Bradley entered the playoffs with the fewest goals (three) and fewest points (six). But in his return from a lower body injury that kept him out of the final six games, Bradley's value to the Huskies was on full display in their 3-1 win over Boston University in the Hockey East Quarterfinals.

"We missed him," Mike Cavanaugh said postgame.

As a fourth liner alongside fellow freshman Jake Veilleux and sophomore Nick Capone, Bradley helped set the tone in a dominant opening period for UConn with a big hits. It also got the crowd of 3,416 at the XL Center fired up from the start.

"He's just a strong presence for us and having both he and Nick back in the lineup tonight, every time they get on the ice, they created momentum for us with their physical play," Cavanaugh said. "He's just a strong player. He's strong on the puck. He's well positioned. He's structured."

The Huskies jumped on BU from the first face-off and never allowed the visitors a foothold into the game. UConn put 11 shots on goal in the first seven minutes and totaled 18 shots in the first period. For reference, the Huskies didn't even get 18 shots on target in their win over UMass on Feb. 19.

Most importantly, Vladislav Firstov put UConn ahead with a deflection off a rip from Jake Flynn at the blue line.

"A point of emphasis for us was to come out and have a strong start and we did," Cavanaugh said. "I was glad we were finally to get one by [BU goalie Drew Commesso] because if you come out that strong and you don't have anything to show for it at the end of the period, sometimes that can be demoralizing. But we were able to get that goal and feel pretty good about ourselves going into the second period."

Even though the Terriers dominated long stretches of the second period, the Huskies' quick start forced the visitors to play from behind the rest of the way. Once Jonny Evans doubled the lead, it put BU in a hole too deep to get out of.

"We had chance at the end but that's why you have to get off the bus and have a good start and the guys have to be ready right away," BU coach Albie O'Connell said, "which not everyone was."

The Terriers did make it interesting late after scoring a power play goal with seven minutes left to cut UConn's lead down to 2-1. They pulled the goalie with 1:53 to go to get the extra attacker but the Huskies weathered the storm and kept the puck out of the danger areas – at least until the final 20 seconds.

BU threw two skaters in from of UConn goalie Darion Hanson and put a shot on target. While Hanson made the initial save, he couldn't corral the rebound.

"I was down on the ice, my hands are on the ice and I was looking over to the rebound and it was sitting right there for anyone," Hanson recalled.

Luckily, Marc Gatcomb skated in to clear it away and threw it off the glass and out of the zone. BU defenseman Domenick Fensore tried to send it back in but his pass only found Bradley. After the freshman helped get UConn off to a strong start, he sealed the win with an empty-net goal that sent his teammates, coaches and the XL Center crowd into a frenzy.

After helping get the Huskies off to such a strong start, it was only fitting that Bradley finished it off as well.