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Weekly Roundup: Three games, three drastically different performances from UConn

Weekly Roundup: Three games, three drastically different performances from UConn

The Huskies had one good game, one bad game, and one okay game in their final action of 2020.

December 29, 2020

Welcome to the UConn Hockey Hub newsletter, which catches you up on all the stories, trends, and anything else you might have missed, along with some quick takes and leftover notes from the weekend.

Subscriber news

Apologies for not having a postgame video for the UMass Lowell and UMass games. A host of circumstances contributed to that, mostly schedule irregularity, but everything will be back to normal moving forward.
We’re back on the normal cadence with the newsletter, Film Room, and new podcast all coming out this week.

Thoughts

UConn’s 2-1 loss to UMass Lowell is pretty much how most games between these teams have gone the last two years. Both teams played well, both goaltenders were fantastic and the River Hawks found the game-winner that the Huskies couldn’t. If these teams played 100 times, they’d probably each win 50.
The way UConn hit and played with physicality against UMass Lowell was incredible to watch, though. If the Huskies keep that up (they didn’t against UMass, did against Providence), nobody will look forward to playing them.
UConn’s 6-2 loss to UMass is the Huskies’ first inexcusably bad performance this season. The rough opener against the Minutemen was understandable given the “fractured” preseason and the fact that the game was added to the schedule two days before. The Huskies’ OT loss to BC was also ugly at times but, again, they were coming off a three-week layoff and had to face the No. 2 team in the country. UConn still got that game to overtime and had chances to win.
The UMass game was a molotov cocktail of ugliness, to borrow a phrase from a certain former football coach. UConn took stupid penalties left and right and spent far more time in the penalty box than in its own offensive zone — or at least it felt like that. The Huskies deserved every bit of that loss.
The Mullins Center is very quietly a house of horrors for UConn. The Huskies have just one win there in Hockey East — their first-ever visit as a conference foe in 2014-15.
There’s no reason to dwell too long on the UMass game, though, after UConn bounced back against Providence.
Even though the Huskies finished with a shutout, it felt like they were hanging on for dear life at times after Adam Karashik’s goal.
Once Jonny Evans doubled the lead, that gave UConn some breathing room. The Huskies didn’t even have to put Providence away — the Friars did that themselves. Getting a five-minute major with less than three minutes left and then picking up a second penalty right after is really, really bad situational hockey.
I still don’t understand how Carter Turnbull didn’t get a penalty shot after getting slashed on a breakaway in the second period. I’m even more confused about how there wasn’t any penalty on Evans’ breakaway in the third period. I didn’t think Marc Gatcomb had a clear enough run at the empty net to earn an awarded goal in the third period, though.
Who thought wearing the navy and gray alternates against Providence in all-black was a good idea? It was extremely difficult at times to figure out who was who, especially with how bad the lighting is at Freitas.
UConn’s game production continues to be incredibly poor. The audio frequently cut out, the feed didn’t return from breaks quick enough at times, there aren’t any replays — not even for goals — and the clock on the score bug was wrong for much of the second and third periods. It’s hard to watch.
Is it me, or do face-offs seems to be far less painful this year? There doesn’t appear to be much extracurricular activity in the circle — the ref usually just drops the puck and play goes on. Last year, I remember games where centers were getting ejected from face-offs on seemingly every draw and the ref took forever to get play resumed. Maybe without fans in the arenas, officials aren’t power-tripping as much.

Three stars

Each week, we’ll highlight UConn’s top performers from the weekend.

First star: Jonny Evans

With Vladislav Firstov away at World Juniors, Evans has established himself as UConn’s clear-cut top forward. He leads the team with eight points — twice as much as Turnbull and Jachym Kondelik in second place — and his three goals and five assists are both team-highs as well. The junior has a point in all but one game this season (the 2-2 tie vs. UMass) and is currently on a career-best five-game point streak. Though the Huskies’ offense has sputtered at times, Evans has been a rock on both ends of the ice.

Second star: Adam Karashik

The senior captain scored what proved to be the game-winning goal against Providence — his first in 81 games. Though Karashik doesn’t stand out on the stat sheet (1-0—1, -5 +/-), he’s a critical piece for the Huskies.

“He's the heart and soul of our team,” Mike Cavanaugh said after the Providence game.

Third star: Jachym Kondelik

Kondelik recorded two assists against Providence but played a strong game all-around. He’s UConn’s best center, winning face-offs at a .574 clip (fifth-best in Hockey East among players with three or more games played). Kondelik also plays a big role in helping the Huskies maintain possession — especially in the neutral zone. He isn’t the flashiest player on the team but he’s very steady. UConn can’t ask much more out of Kondelik.

Scoreboard

Friday, Dec. 18

Women’s:UConn 4, Merrimack 1Providence 4, Maine 0

Saturday, Dec. 19

Men’s:Northeastern 3 (1), Providence 3 (0) OTUMass 4, Vermont 0

Women’s:UConn 5, Merrimack 1Maine 2, Providence 1Vermont 4, UNH 2

Sunday, Dec. 20

Men’s:Providence 5, Northeastern 0UMass 4, Vermont 1

Women’s:UNH 2, Vermont 0

Wednesday, Dec. 23

Women’s:UNH 6, Holy Cross 2

Saturday, Dec. 26

Men’s:Northeastern 4, Vermont 1

Sunday, Dec. 27

Men’s:Northeastern 2 (1), Vermont 2 (0) OT