UConn falters after fast start in season-opening defeat

UConn’s season got off to a dream start on Friday night at Colorado College. 52 seconds in, Jake Richard delivered a perfect cross-ice pass to an uncovered Joey Muldowney on the back post. The junior, who set the program’s Division I Era record with 29 goals a year ago, picked up where he left off and ripped a shot into the twine.

Just like that, the Huskies’ two best players combined to put the visitors ahead 1-0.

Then the magic disappeared. Over the next 24:04, the Tigers accounted for 18 of 23 shots on net and scored three unanswered goals that ultimately proved to be the difference in a 4-2 opening night defeat for UConn.

“I expected that it’s their opener, they’re going to come out and buzz,” head coach Mike Cavanaugh said postgame. “They probably won more battles than we did. I thought we fought the puck all night, thought we were bobbling a lot of pucks. It wasn't our best.”

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