In Columbus last weekend the UMass hockey team didn’t allow Ohio State to take a lead for nearly six periods, until Tanner Laczynski put the Buckeyes ahead with 1:50 left. The goal gave top-ranked Ohio State a split in its two-game series against the unheralded Minutemen.
One observer called Laczynski’s game winner a “fluke and a softie,” the kind that gnaw at a coach. When WHMP’s Donnie Moorhouse suggested to Greg Carvel in his postgame interview that UMass would move up in the polls off its strong showing in Columbus, Carvel called it “fluff.”
“You can beat ‘em once why not beat ‘em twice?” he said, clearly agitated. “There’s no excuse for it.”
It was reminiscent of 1967 when the Red Sox lost a heartbreaker and a reporter said you can’t win em all. “Why the hell not?” barked manager Dick Williams.
Once the steam exited his ears Carvel had to be satisfied by Fille Lindberg’s 36 saves and Matt Murray’s 35 stops the previous night. Earlier in the week he’d been interviewed by Bernie Corbett of Sirius-XM’s “Hockey on Campus.”
When Corbett asked about the two netminders, Carvel told him, “There’s not much of a difference between them which is great, because they’re keeping each other honest and competing and challenging each other in practice.
“Our save percentage was barely over .900 last year and we were still able to win 17 games. We thought if we could get our power play together and our save percentage up to .910 toward .920, it would make us a pretty tough team to beat.”
In four games, the Murray-Lindberg connection was clicking at .937 and the power play was converting at a sizzling .353 pace compared to opponents’ .157.
It’s a small sample size, but an indicator of good things to come and Carvel explained how his assistant coaches found Lindberg: “Ben Barr and Jared DeMichiel, through their contacts, were made aware of a Finnish goaltender who’d had a good year and was looking to play (stateside). We watched some video on Fille and got him to commit. He’s in the running to play for the Finnish National Junior team in the December championships.”
Carvel praised the work of the team’s “twin towers” — defensemen Cale Makar and Mario Ferraro — and forward Jacob Pritchard, the senior transfer from St. Lawrence. “It’s been a wonderful reunion with Pritch. He was one of those it was hard to walk away from when I got the job (at UMass). He’s a wonderful kid and a wonderful teammate. He’s offensive oriented. You don’t have to ask him twice to shoot the puck.”
The 6-foot, 193-pound Michigan native played his 100th collegiate game on Saturday and his goal and three assists this season have upped his career totals to 28 and 39, respectively.
The Minutemen (3-1) play Hockey East foe Merrimack (2-3) in a home-and-away series starting Friday at 7 p.m. at the Mullins Center. The Warriors are coming off a 4-0 win against Boston University on Saturday. First-year coach Scott Borek replaces Mark Dennehy, a Deerfield grad who’s now coaching in the AHL. Borek was formerly an assistant at Providence and UNH.
SHORT YARDAGE: Penn State had 51 shots on goal during its two-game weekend sweep of Niagara. The undefeated Nittany Lions (4-0) have outscored opponents, 21-7. “They get off the bus and start shootin’ in the parking lot,” said Ohio State color analyst Jim Lachey. … Providence and Denver are the only two teams to have made the NCAA D-1 tournament five consecutive years. … The Minutemen host the Friars on Thursday, Nov. 8, which is Military Appreciation Night. … One of the music selections between periods in Columbus last weekend was the theme from “The Match Game.” … The UMass roster has players from nine states and three Canada provinces. Three hail from the Commonwealth — sophomore forward John Leonard of Amherst, freshman defenseman Kolby Vegara of Malden and sophomore goalie Brad Arvanitis of Holliston.… Brock Hines texts: “Carvel the difference. He can manage the practices and in game. He gets it.”
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DA QB COMMITS: The Deerfield Academy football team is 5-1 under coach Brian Barbato, whose grandfather Chuck Demers was the athletic trainer when Jim Smith and Mike Silipo coached on the sideline.
The Big Green beat Exeter, 37-14, last Saturday and play at Andover this Saturday. Their lone loss was 14-10 to Suffield Academy on Sept. 22.
Quarterback Jack Bill has committed to play at Harvard for coach Tim Murphy next year. “He’s in his second year at Deerfield after coming to campus as a repeat junior last year,” emailed Barbato. “Great kid and a phenomenal lacrosse player as well.”
Deerfield’s final home game is Nov. 3 against Cheshire Academy.
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OBVIOUS ANALYSIS: During Saturday’s loss to Coastal Carolina, UMass radio’s Josh Maurer mentioned that linebacker Jarell Addo’s six-game suspension had ended. “Well I’ll tell ya,” said sidekick Pete Brock, “whatever the suspension was for, I’m sure it was a disappointment to him and the staff.”
Remember the comedy team of Bob and Ray? They made fun of such mundane, vacuous comments as Brock’s.
Bob: “And what does the M stand for Mr. Roberts?”
Ray: “It stands for Mister.”
Bob: “I see.”
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BRITT QUITS: UMass wideout Jessie Britt has bolted campus for greener gridirons. According to 247sports, prior to UMass Britt had committed and de-committed to Western Kentucky and Arizona.
Perhaps he came to Amherst because he was promised he’d play as a true freshman. He had 29 catches and scored four touchdowns last season but was used sparingly this season (11 catches and one touchdown).
He departs town best known for his tussle with Ray Thomas-Ishman Sr., whose bulky frame helped him survive five gunshots on the streets of Philadelphia. Britt got thrown around like a toy poodle by the 6-foot-5, 350-pound lineman at Mississippi State last season.
“We have a fight going on between two UMass players on the field!” exclaimed the SEC Network’s Taylor Zarzour.
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IRRELEVANT BOWL: A pair of Yankee Conference foes will meet in East Hartford on Saturday. UMass (2-6) takes on UConn (1-6) in the Irrelevant Bowl at Rentschler Field. One of the two teams will officially be eliminated from bowl consideration.
UConn is a 4½-point underdog. The Huskies won the only other meeting between the two teams as FBS programs in 2012 (37-0 at home). The Minutemen won the final matchup as FCS foes in 1999 (62-20 in Amherst). UMass is ranked 118th in the CBS Sports129; UConn is 126th.
The forecast calls for a Nor’easter to come up the coast and batter New England, fitting for two teams that can’t get out of the storm.
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EAGLES SEEK BOWL BID: Boston College (5-2, 2-1) hosts Miami (5-2, 2-1) on Friday night at 7 p.m. The Eagles are a 3-point favorite on America’s Line, and a win would guarantee bowl eligibility.
It’s a curious point spread considering that Miami is ranked 26th and Boston College is 46th in the CBS Sports129, and ESPN’s Power Index ranks Miami 15th and BC 39th.
Virginia stunned the 16th-ranked Hurricanes two weeks ago, rallying from a 27-7 deficit to beat the Canes, 28-27.
The Eagles expect to have AJ Dillon back from an ankle injury that’s kept him out since the second half against Temple.