UConn's third period comeback not enough in 4-3 loss to Wisconsin

Entering the third period of the Holiday Face-Off championship game on Sunday night, UConn and Wisconsin were knotted at 0-0 — an especially impressive feat considering the Huskies were down to third string goaltender Tommy Heaney. Then came a seven-goal frenzy over the final 20 minutes that ultimately ended in a 4-3 defeat for the Huskies.

It started with a disastrous three-minute stretch from UConn’s special teams. The power play unit went over the boards just 1:43 into the third period but instead of capitalizing on the man-advantage — or even using it to get some momentum for an offense that had struggled to generate anything — the Huskies allowed their first shorthanded goal of the season. That gave the Badgers a 1-0 lead.

Soon after the power play expired, UConn took a penalty of its own and gifted Wisconsin a chance to extend its lead. While the unit had kept the team in the game to that point — they killed a five-minute power play after Ethan Whitcomb got a major penalty and game misconduct early in the first period, then followed it up with two more soon after — it finally faltered. The Badgers scored on the advantage less than three minutes after the shorty to make it 2-0.

The Huskies didn’t look like a team capable of making a comeback. They only generated 11 shots on goal through the first two periods and struggled to create anything even remotely dangerous in that time.

Then Kaden Shahan ripped a shot from the top of the circles into the back of the net and just like that, UConn had life.

A few minutes later, the freshman had a couple more grade-A chances, only to be turned away by Wisconsin goalie Tommy Scarfone. From there, the Huskies started to sustain some pressure in the offensive zone and eventually found the equalizer. With 4:05 remaining, Joey Muldowney buried his own rebound and tied the game at two goals apiece.

It wouldn’t last, though. 97 seconds later, Wisconsin’s Christian Fitzgerald flew into the zone and uncorked a shot from the top of the circles that beat Heaney clean. It was the only time all night UConn missed having Callum Tung (illness) or Tyler Muszelik (lower body injury) between the pipes.

The Huskies’ hopes for a second comeback bid appeared to be dashed when John Spetz went to the box with 1:52 left but the Badgers followed with a penalty of their own 22 seconds later to make it 4×4. UConn pulled the goalie to get the extra attacker for the remaining time but the move backfired.

The ensuing face-off went all the way back to the Huskies’ defensive zone and Jake Richard found himself in a foot race with Wisconsin’s Cody Laskosky for the loose puck near the empty net. As they battled for it, Laskosky went to the ice which resulted in a penalty on Richard and an awarded goal for the Badgers with 1:24 left.

UConn’s Nick Carabin scored in the final second but it was too little, too late and Wisconsin came away with the Holiday Face-Off title.

Heaney stopped 28 of 31 shots as the late fill-in. The Huskies lost the special teams battle 3-1 by allowing a shorthanded, power play and empty-net goal. Their lone tally came with the extra skater just before the buzzer.

The loss drops UConn to 8-8-1 on the season. Next up, the Huskies will travel to play Harvard on Saturday, Jan. 4.