COLLEGE HOCKEY UPDATE:  In the final game of the East Region in Allentown, PA., Sunday afternoon, March 30th, a pass from along the right boards went to the high slot, and Joey Mudowney zipped it low and in for the score past the stick of Pennsylvania State University goalie Arsenii Sergeev to give the University of Connecticut the 1-0 lead only three minutes into the first period.  Pennsylvania State nearly tied it up six minutes later, but the shot from the right side clipped the crossbar.  With seven minutes left in the first Dane Dowiak took a pass from behind the net and his shot broke through from high in the slot to tie it at one apiece, the score at the first break.  Pennsylvania State University had most of the momentum in the period, particularly after the Connecticut score, out-shooting UConn 17-6, including a last second shot off a rebound that was wide of the goal.

A Pennsylvania State four-on-two charge early in the second period resulted in a shot from along the goal line that rang off the near post to the right of UConn goalie Callum Tung.  With nine minutes left in the period a screened Taylor Heaslip popped the puck in from the left side giving Connecticut the 2-1 lead.  But with eight minutes left JJ Wiebusch took a pass at the right circle and his shot got in over the goalie’s right shoulder, again tying it up, this time at two apiece, the score at the second break.  Pennsylvania State out-shot UConn narrowly, 11-10, in the second period.

In the first half of the third play was tight and Pennsylvania State had manged three shots to one for Connecticut.  In the second half Connecticut pressed, out-shooting Pennsylvania State 13-4, but neither team scored, forcing overtime. Five minutes into overtime a Muldowney shot for Connecticut from the right circle rang off the post, and Sergeev fended off a follow-up shot as well as the rebound shot off of that.  Six minutes later Muldowney was back on a partial break, but his attempted backhander was blocked by Sergeev.  A minute later a UConn wrap-around attempt was blocked by a defender; three minutes late Sergeev pad-blocked a shot from the slot; and a minute later Sergeev blocked another Muldowney shot, this one from right in front.

And despite the 14-7 shots advantage amassed by Connecticut in OT, with two minutes left in the first OT Matt DiMarsico took a pass on a Pennsylvania State University rush and blazed a high shot in, giving his team its 3-2 win.  Pennsylvania State University advanced to The Frozen Four in St. Louis to face Boston University on Thursday, April 10th, at 5:30PM Pacific Time on ESPN2.

So . . . . was this game an upset in our pool ?  Seems that way.  Only three entrants picked Pennsylvania State University to win this game, compared to four having picked the University of Connecticut to win this win, so in terms of this matchup, I suppose it’s an upset.  In addition, five had picked Quinnipiac University to win this game, and twenty-seven had picked the University of Maine to win it.

That’s all for now. Stay tuned, and go Terriers !

— Tom