Regular Season Over: UConn Earns First Round Bye And #4 Seed!
Although UConn had some opportunities to get more points in the standings, the Huskies still capped another great regular season by finishing in the top four for the second straight year, and earned a first round bye for the third time in four years. On February 21st, 2014, UConn hosted Army on Senior Night. The night honored Brant Harris, Jordan Sims, Billy Latta, and Matt Grogan, in front of a sellout crowd. This group of seniors was the most influential in UConn hockey history, with both individual status, and team status. Sims and Harris both have over 100 carer points, and Latta currently has 98 career points, while Grogan made his impact when he led the UConn last year with a 14-4-3 record, and in his first year in net. In team success, this group of seniors led the Huskies out of the basement. UConn had only 7 wins in 2009-2010, but with the arrival of this group(and Cole Schneider, who went semi-pro) gave UConn a first round-bye, home-ice playoffs, and a trip to the semifinals, all in one year! The next year they acummalated 16 wins, and beat two top-20 teams, and last year they got a top four, first round-bye and again went to the semifinals. This year, the Huskies did it again; they got a #4 seed, a first round-bye, and home-ice for the quarterfinals and beat the #9 team in the nation during the regular season! Who knows what other things this group will help UConn accomplish in the playoffs this year; let’s hope something with the word Championship in it! I know they have the type of team that can do it this year! Ever since the entrance of these seniors, UConn hockey has done nothing but improve each year.
In the first period, UConn jumped on Army right away. Brent Norris scored on a wrist-shot through traffic to make it 1-0. Exactly five minutes later, Billy Latta came in close but his shot was blocked, only for Shawn Pauly to pick up the rebound and put it right below the crossbar to make it 2-0. Less than a minute later though, Army fired a shot that somehow fluttered by Matt Grogan, to make it a 2-1 game. Only four minutes later, Army scored to tie the game, on another lucky shot. An Army player skated into the blueline, and fired the puck, and it once again fluttered by Grogan. The score was 2-2 at the end of one period. Early in the second, Army would shockingly take the lead, 3-2, when they collected a rebound and put it into the wide open net. Only five minutes later though, Trevor Gerling would tie the game, when he collected a rebound and put it home. In the third period though Army would score the gamewinner and drop UConn heartbreakingly, 4-3! The Huskies, making the loss even more tough, scored two goals that didn’t count in the final period, and hit the crossbar and had 45 shots! The Huskies also fell into fifth place! The next game, the Huskies came out ready for revenge. Sean Gaffney scored early for the 1-0 lead, and Robby Nichols would make that lead last going into the third. Early in the third, Brant Harris’ assist would not only give UConn a 2-0 lead, but he made UConn hockey history by becoming the all-time Division 1 leader for the Huskies in career points. With less than two minutes to go though, Army would score on the extra-attacker to break up Nichols’ shutout hopes, but Harris would add to his career total on an assist on Patrick Kirtland’s empty-net goal for a necessary 3-1 win. This win would put the Huskies back in spot #4, thanks to a Robert Morris loss.
The next weekend, UConn played their final two regular season games of the year and their last two regular season games as Atlantic Hockey members. After a scoreless first period, the Pioneers struck first for a 1-0 lead, but the Huskies would respond with a Shawn Pauly goal to tie it. Then once again Sacred Heart would take the lead, but only 17 seconds later Patrick Kirtland would make a 2-2 game at the end of two. In the third, Sacred Heart would take the 3-2 lead, but Billy Latta would dramatically tie it with the extra-attacker with 28 seconds to go, forcing overtime. In OT, Billy Latta would offer the heroics again, scoring the overtime winner with 42 seconds remaining, sealing the overtime win and a top four seed, and a first round bye.
The next game was the regular season final, and unfortunately it was a different looking game. Sacred Heart went up early in the game and later extended the lead to 2-0 in the second. The Huskies finally get on the board when Brent Norris lit the lamp, but the Huskies couldn’t find the equalizer, in a tough 2-1 loss.
Despite this loss the Huskies still finished in the top four and got a #4 seed for the playoffs, a first round bye, and the opportunity to host the quarterfinals! They also matched a record of most confrence wins in a season, with 15 wins, matching the 2006-2007 mark! I’ll say it again, with the spirit and talent UConn has this year, they can win the championship in their final year as Atlantic Hockey members! All I can say is: Let’s go Huskies!
Norris Scores!
Pauly makes it 2-0!
Trevor Gerling ties the game!
Celebration in front of sellout crowd!
1 Comment
Not a bad season, of course it could always be better. But what do I know.