UConn's senior line keeps the season – and their careers – alive with OT victory over Boston College

Just over a minute into overtime in the Hockey East semifinals on Friday night, UConn’s all-senior line of Jake Percival, Tabor Heaslip and Tristan Fraser entered the offensive zone.

As Fraser jockeyed in the corner, Heaslip skated in and knocked the puck skyward. It dropped in front of the crease, where Fraser picked it up and turned at the face-off dot.

Despite four Boston College skaters standing behind him and the goal, Fraser let a shot fly. It hit off two bodies and ended up in the back of the net to send the Huskies through to the Hockey East championship for the second consecutive season.

“I didn't really see too much net,” Fraser admitted. “I was just trying to get it on and off my stick as quick as possible… Those are plays you get lucky on.”

“I’m glad Fras shot that puck,” head coach Mike Cavanaugh said with a smile.

Initially, Fraser didn’t even know he scored. The mass of bodies in front blocked his own view of the goal.

“I didn't really realize it went in at first,” he explained. “I thought maybe Percival hit it in on the back door or something. I couldn't really see it that well. Then I saw everyone celebrating and skating towards me so I was just super excited, kind of shocked, but excited at the same time.”

It was UConn’s first overtime victory in the Hockey East Playoffs and its first OT triumph in the postseason under Cavanaugh, snapping an 0-3 record. The Huskies poured onto the ice in ecstasy following the 4-3 win over Boston College, then had to put the party on pause since all overtime goals are automatically reviewed. When it was confirmed, the team got to celebrate a second time.

“It was a great battle,” Cavanaugh said. “We played a really strong game — especially 5-on-5 — all night long.”

The victory helps the Huskies keep their season alive and puts them in prime position to earn an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament — assuming they don’t claim Hockey East’s automatic bid. They’ll take on 8-seed Merrimack in the title game on Saturday.

It’s fitting that the seniors found the winner. To this point in the playoffs, any loss would’ve ended their collegiate careers. But in both the quarterfinals and semifinals, they’ve fought to play another day.

“Right now it's win or go home, so I think that honestly works in our favor,” Heaslip said. “Going out there and playing every shift like it's your last, I think that's just been huge for us going down the stretch.”

That veteran core helped UConn stay steady through the ups and downs of the contest.

In the second period, the Eagles pulled ahead twice on the power play. Both times, the Huskies responded immediately. In the final stanza, UConn took its first lead of the night with 7:32 left, only to give it right back up just 1:45 later. The Huskies never flinched.

“We have seven seniors. It's somewhat of an anomaly today in college hockey,” Cavanaugh said. “They bring a lot of composure and a veteran presence to our bench.”

UConn advanced despite a miserable day from its special teams units. The Huskies took five penalties, gave up two goals on the penalty kill and went 0-4 on the power play. BC should’ve scored another on the man-advantage but caught a bad break from the officials.

On a loose puck in the crease, Andre Gasseau poked it through UConn goalie Tyler Muszelik’s pads but the nearest official waved it off immediately. At the time, it looked like the referee called goaltender interference, but BC coach Greg Brown received a different explanation.

“[The official] said that he lost sight of the puck, so he blew the whistle. I asked if it's challengeable but he says his intent is to blow the whistle even sooner, then you can't really challenge it,” Brown said.

The Huskies’ penalty kill didn’t have many answers for the Eagles’ high-powered unit.

“Against that power play, we prayed,” Cavanaugh said. “They are really dynamic and they're tough.”

UConn could’ve helped itself out by not going to the box so often, though. Three of the penalties were cross-checks while the others were tripping and holding.

“We can't take as many penalties,” Cavanaugh said. “I didn't like the technique we were using.”

Ultimately, the Huskies outplayed Boston College 5-on-5, which proved to be the difference. UConn finished with a 32-25 edge in shots, though the advantage was 27-14 at even strength.

“There’s a reason they say defense wins championships,” Cavanaugh said. “That's part of our identity as a team. That's something that we strive for every game.”

In a game that featured 16 NHL Draft picks — including two first-rounders in BC’s James Hagens and Dean Letourneau — the Huskies’ senior grinders finished the job. Coming into the contest, the Percival-Heaslip-Fraser line combined for 19 goals all season — just two more than Joey Muldowney has on his own.

But their value goes far beyond their production.

“I don't know if this is a fact or not, but between the three of us, we might have the most combined games in college hockey on a single line,” Heaslip theorized postgame.
“We don't overcomplicate it. We stick to our script. We know what our game is together and what we bring to the team, so just doing that to the best of our ability, it’s been huge for us.”

They’re one of Cavanaugh’s most trusted groupings, too. On Friday night, at the 18:42 mark of overtime, they showed why.

“They've played together for a long time throughout their career, they read off each other, they play the game the right way, and they all play a 200-foot game,” the coach said. “Like Tabor said, there's not many lines that have that much experience combined, that have played that many college hockey games, so you trust them in a lot of different spots.”