UMass hockey: Minutemen rally in the third period to defeat Alaska, 4-2 (PHOTOS)

UMass center Lucas Mercuri (11) is introduced before the NCAA hockey game against Alaska at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst.

UMass center Lucas Mercuri (11) is introduced before the NCAA hockey game against Alaska at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst. STAFF PHOTO / DANIEL JACOBI II—

UMass right wing Cole O'Hara (19) keeps the puck from Alaska center William Lawson-Body (10) during the NCAA hockey game at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst.

UMass right wing Cole O'Hara (19) keeps the puck from Alaska center William Lawson-Body (10) during the NCAA hockey game at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst. STAFF PHOTO / DANIEL JACOBI II—

Alaska goalie Lassi Lehti (35) sprays water onto his face during the NCAA hockey game against UMass at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst.

Alaska goalie Lassi Lehti (35) sprays water onto his face during the NCAA hockey game against UMass at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst. STAFF PHOTO / DANIEL JACOBI II—

UMass right wing Cole O'Hara (19) controls the puck during the NCAA hockey game against Alaska at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst.

UMass right wing Cole O'Hara (19) controls the puck during the NCAA hockey game against Alaska at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst. STAFF PHOTO / DANIEL JACOBI II—

UMass right wing Cole O'Hara (19) keeps the puck from Alaska right wing Brendan Ross (18) during the NCAA hockey game at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst.

UMass right wing Cole O'Hara (19) keeps the puck from Alaska right wing Brendan Ross (18) during the NCAA hockey game at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst. STAFF PHOTO / DANIEL JACOBI II—

UMass center Lucas Mercuri (11) keeps the puck from Alaska defenseman Broten Sabo (7) during the NCAA hockey game at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst.

UMass center Lucas Mercuri (11) keeps the puck from Alaska defenseman Broten Sabo (7) during the NCAA hockey game at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst. STAFF PHOTO / DANIEL JACOBI II—

UMass players wait to be introduced before the NCAA hockey game against Alaska at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst.

UMass players wait to be introduced before the NCAA hockey game against Alaska at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst. STAFF PHOTO / DANIEL JACOBI II—

UMass center Dans Locmelis (10) high-fives his teammates after scoring a goal during the NCAA hockey game against Alaska at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst.

UMass center Dans Locmelis (10) high-fives his teammates after scoring a goal during the NCAA hockey game against Alaska at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst. STAFF PHOTO / DANIEL JACOBI II—

UMass defenseman Finn Loftus (7) moves the puck around the net during the NCAA hockey game against Alaska at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst.

UMass defenseman Finn Loftus (7) moves the puck around the net during the NCAA hockey game against Alaska at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst. STAFF PHOTO / DANIEL JACOBI II—

UMass left wing Michael Cameron (27) skates toward the net during the NCAA hockey game against Alaska at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst.

UMass left wing Michael Cameron (27) skates toward the net during the NCAA hockey game against Alaska at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst. STAFF PHOTO / DANIEL JACOBI II—

UMass right wing Nick VanTassell (22) keeps the puck from Alaska center Kyle Gaffney, left, during the NCAA hockey game at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst.

UMass right wing Nick VanTassell (22) keeps the puck from Alaska center Kyle Gaffney, left, during the NCAA hockey game at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst. STAFF PHOTO / DANIEL JACOBI II—

UMass center Kenny Connors (17) moves the puck around the net during the NCAA hockey game against Alaska at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst.

UMass center Kenny Connors (17) moves the puck around the net during the NCAA hockey game against Alaska at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst. STAFF PHOTO / DANIEL JACOBI II—

UMass players come together to celebrate a goal during the NCAA hockey game against Alaska at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst.

UMass players come together to celebrate a goal during the NCAA hockey game against Alaska at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst. STAFF PHOTO / DANIEL JACOBI II—

Alaska center Peyton Platter (24) and UMass center Kenny Connors (17) compete for the puck during the NCAA hockey game at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst.

Alaska center Peyton Platter (24) and UMass center Kenny Connors (17) compete for the puck during the NCAA hockey game at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst. STAFF PHOTO / DANIEL JACOBI II—

UMass right wing Ryan Lautenbach (14) and Alaska center William Lawson-Body (10) collide at center ice during the NCAA hockey game at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst.

UMass right wing Ryan Lautenbach (14) and Alaska center William Lawson-Body (10) collide at center ice during the NCAA hockey game at the Mullins Center, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Amherst. STAFF PHOTO / DANIEL JACOBI II—

By RYAN AMES

Staff Writer

Published: 01-24-2025 11:10 PM

AMHERST – The UMass hockey team overcame a slow start in its 4-2 win against Alaska on Friday night at the Mullins Center.

Trailing 2-1 heading into the third period after giving up a pair of first-period goals, the Minutemen tallied three unanswered in the final frame to move to 12-10-2 on the season.

“It was we needed to wear them down in the offensive zone, we needed to possess the puck and I thought we did that extremely well,” UMass head coach Greg Carvel said on the message going into the third. 

Sophomore Dans Locmelis secured the equalizer 5:25 into the third on a wraparound bid that beat Nanooks goalie Lassi Lehti (26 saves).

Locmelis was throwing his weight around prior to his marker and that appeared to help the Boston Bruins draft pick stay engaged ahead of his goal that made it 2-2.

“I just couldn’t score [early] so I had to bring something to the team,” Locmelis said. “Just start[ed] playing hard.”

“He can do everything,” Carvel said. “When he wants to get physically involved--he had that big hit early in the game. He checks well, smart player, he’s a really good well-rounded player. When he’s got a chance to be physical he usually does it pretty effectively.”

Freshman Francesco Dell’Elce continued to rack up points as the shifty defenseman scored the game-winner on a shot from the blue line at 11:24 of the third. The Minutemen had Alaska scrambling in its own end before Dell’Elce sent the dagger past Lehti.

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“When I’m moving that way on my forehand on the blue line and I see traffic at the net, I think that’s a green light for me to shoot so I just tried to put it there with traffic and it went in,” Dell Elce said.

The 6-foot-1, 179-pounder has points in eight of his last 10 games. 

An empty-net strike from junior Kenny Connors with 44 seconds left capped off a strong third from the Minutemen.

Junior Owen Murray didn’t see the ice at all on Friday but remained on the bench the entire game. After the game, Carvel said the top-pair defenseman is “dealing with a small injury, he could very well be back tomorrow.”

Michael Hrabal settled in after allowing two in the opening 20 minutes and finished the night with 24 saves for UMass. 

Broten Sabo and Matt Hubbarde were Alaska’s goalscorers, while Lucas Mercuri had a goal sandwiched in between the Nanooks’ tallies.

Mercuri was standing right in front of Lehti and took a pass from Michael Cameron to bang in his sixth of the season at 11:49.

“He’s the best at it,” Carvel said on Mercuri’s net-front capabilities. “He’s a big body. He goes there and makes things happen and he scored a goal. I don’t know if he got an assist on the [Locmelis’] goal but he deserved it. It doesn’t go if he’s not there.”

The Minutemen didn’t convert on their only power play of the night due to a goalie interference goal. It appeared senior Ryan Lautenbach sniped one in from the slot, but Connors was right in front of Lehti and after review, was determined to have interfered with the Finnish netminder.

Lautenbach’s goal would have knotted up the score, 2-2, in the second period, but UMass was forced to regroup ahead of the final period and find a way to win its first game after allowing the first goal.

Three goals and 14 shots later, the Minutemen improved to 1-4-1 when their opponent finds the back of the net first.

“It was early so we had a lot of time to recover,” Carvel said.

UMass will finish up its set with Alaska (7-10-5) on Saturday, with puck drop set for 6 p.m.