UConn outbattled by Merrimack, 5-4

UConn men’s hockey’s streak of winning weekend openers ended on Friday with a 5-4 loss to the No. 16 Merrimack Warriors at Lawler Rink.

The Huskies scored first, led in all three periods and won the special-teams battle 2-0, but it wasn’t enough. After UConn went up 4-3 early in the final stanza, Merrimack scored two unanswered goals — including the winner with 3:46 remaining — to claim the victory.

Ethan Gardula, Joey Muldowney, Jeremy Loranger and Mike Murtagh found the back of the net for the Huskies while Muldowney also added two assists for a three-point night. In goal, Kam Hendrickson stopped 27 of 32 shots (an .843 save percentage).

Both UConn’s special teams units were perfect in defeat. The power play went 2-2 while the penalty kill pitched a 4-4 shutout. The Huskies also added a goal during 4×4 action.

UConn got off to a fast start. Just 1:10 in, the Huskies went on the power play after a slashing penalty against Merrimack. Muldowney tried to center the puck, but it deflected up into Gardula and dropped right onto his stick. The junior, unmarked in front of goal, got a quick shot off and scored to give UConn a 1-0 lead.

Merrimack answered back three minutes later. A failed clearance attempt from Kai Janviriya set the Warriors up with an open one-timer in the slot. Justin Gill buried the chance and evened the score at 1-1. The teams remained tied at the first intermission.

The second period featured plenty of back-and-forth action. Merrimack went ahead for the first time 3:09 in when the Huskies lost Nolan Flamand on the back side. But just 42 seconds later, UConn responded. A bouncing puck ended up with Muldowney in front, who flicked it past the goalie to pull the Huskies level at 2-2.

Midway through the frame, UConn went back on top thanks to its power play. Trey Scott fed Loranger for a one-timer and he blasted it home to make it 3-2.

The Huskies couldn’t preserve the lead, though. With 1:34 left in the second period, they struggled to clear the zone and Merrimack made them pay. David Green’s shot snuck through Hendrickson’s pads, tying the game at three goals apiece. That score held into the final intermission.

3:03 into the third period, UConn jumped back in front when Murtagh tucked a backhanded wraparound in.

But the advantage only lasted for 3:23. Down the other end, Merrimack’s Ty Daneault sent a centering pass that hit off Brendan Dunphy’s skate and wound up in the net. That evened the score at 4-4.

With 3:46 to play, the Warriors found the winner. Green fired a shot from the point that beat a screened Hendrickson to give the hosts a 5-4 lead. UConn decided not to challenge for goaltender interference despite Hendrickson having some company in the crease.

The Huskies pulled the goalie for the extra attacker with 1:25 left but couldn’t find the equalizer.

With the loss, UConn drops below .500 for the first time this season at 3-4-0 and 1-2-0 in Hockey East play. Next, the Huskies will try to salvage a split with Merrimack when they return to Lawler Rink on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

UConn gets outbattled

While UConn won the special teams battle on Friday night, Merrimack came out on top in most other statistical categories. It had a 66-40 edge in attempts, a 32-23 advantage in shots on goal and won 60.9% of the faceoffs. The Warriors also beat the Huskies in plenty of other areas that don’t show up on the stat sheet.

“We were outplayed for two periods. We got better in the second. The first period, they definitely outplayed us,” Cavanaugh said. “I didn't think we won enough battles. Not until the third period we started to win some battles.”

It’s not the first time UConn has struggled to win puck battles this season. The head coach listed that as the main reason for the Huskies’ 4-1 defeat to Colorado College earlier this month.

So how can they fix it?

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