Kam Hendrickson, UConn find a way to win season opener vs. Penn State

Kam Hendrickson thought he’d just allowed the game-tying goal. With just over seven minutes remaining in the third period, he stopped a shot from the point with his blocker but couldn’t collect the rebound. Penn State’s Justin Poirier picked up the loose puck in front of the net and sent it past UConn’s sprawling sophomore goalie to even the score at 2-2.

“I was like, ‘Ah, dang it. We’re tied. Here we go,’” Hendrickson said.

UConn head coach Mike Cavanaugh thought the same — at least at first. Then word came down from his replay staff that he should challenge the play for goaltender interference. They were confident about it, too.

“Westy (assistant coach Alex Westlund in the box) phoned down to Walshy (assistant coach Sean Walsh on the bench) and just said, ‘Hey, you gotta challenge that. That’s definitely a challengeable goal,’” Cavanaugh explained.

Once the head coach saw the replay for himself, he knew his staff made the right call.

“The guy’s in the crease. I mean, it’s clear as day,” Cavanaugh said. “I felt pretty confident that it was going to be called back.”

The officials ultimately did just that. After a short review, they ruled that Poirier made contact with Hendrickson inside the crease, which constituted goaltender interference. UConn retained its lead, 2-1.

“Sometimes the hockey gods bless you once in a while,” Hendrickson said.

The Huskies didn’t let their new life go to waste. They shut Penn State out the rest of the way and secured a 3-1 season-opening victory. Hendrickson proved crucial to the effort.

UConn certainly didn’t play its best hockey on Friday night. The Huskies looked jittery early on and struggled in all three zones early. They had trouble clearing the defensive zone, turned it over often in the neutral zone and couldn’t sustain much pressure in the offensive zone.

“We weathered the storm in the first period,” Cavanaugh said. “I don’t know if it was nerves or what, but we came out a little bit on our heels.”

At the end of 60 minutes, Penn State had a hefty advantage in most major statistical categories. It had a 71-46 edge in attempts, a 43-24 advantage in shots on goal and won 37 of 56 faceoffs (66.1%). But when the final buzzer sounded, UConn came out on top where it mattered most: The scoreboard.

The Huskies made plays when they needed to and capitalized on their opportunities. They found a way to win.

In some ways, Hendrickson had a similar night.

Subscribe to Premium to read the rest.