Friars Top Huskies for 1000th All-Time Victory

Junior defenseman Spenser Young (21) picked up an assist on the Friars'
first goal of the game. Providence stopped UConn 7-2 in Hockey East play.

PROVIDENCE—Scott Conway, Jack Dugan, and Tyce Thompson tallied three points each as the No. 5 Providence College men's hockey team opened Hockey East play with a 7-2 win over UConn on Friday night at Schneider Arena. The win marked the Friars’ 1,000^th victory all-time.

Providence got on the board first as freshman Michael Callahan notched his first career goal as he wired a wrist shot over the shoulder of Huska. Jack Dugan and Spenser Young assisted on the play.

The Friars held a 14-10 edge in shots and killed off both of UConn's power plays in the opening period.

Josh Wilkins extended the lead to 2-0 on the power with his first strike of the season four minutes into the second stanza. Wilkins beat Huska from the high slot with Kasper Björkqvist providing the screen out front. The Huskies responded 4:01 later as Karl El-Mir got the visitors on the board with a power play goal

Freshman Jack Dugan cashed in on the power play 2:37 later with his first collegiate goal off a nice feed from Tyce Thompson, who recorded his first career point on the play. Björkqvist extended the lead to 4-1 at 16:28 of the period [BP1] when Davis Bunz's point shot deflected off of the captain's body.

After UConn's Alexander Payusov cashed in on the power play early in the third period to cut the score to 4-2, the Friars answered with three unanswered goals from Scott Conway, Jacob Bryson and Shane Kavanagh to close out the game.

In all, eleven Friars ended up on the scoresheet on Friday night. Conway led the way with seven shots on goal, while Hayden Hawkey made 24 saves to improve to 3-1-0 on the season.

With the win, the Friars improve to 3-1-0, 1-0-0 in Hockey East play, while the Huskies fall to 1-2-0 (0-1-0).

The Friars continue their “Connecticut Connection” when they travel to Bridgeport to face Sacred Heart on Saturday. First puck drops at 7 p.m. at the Webster Bank Arena.

THE SKINNY

• 1-0 (Providence) – 7:56/1^st – EV – Michael Callahan (Dugan, Young) – Wrist shot from the top of the circle over the shoulder of Huska.
• 2-0 (Providence) – 4:00/2^nd – PP – Josh Wilkins (Bryson, Conway) – Shot from the high-slot through a screen.
• 2-1 (UConn) – 8:01/2^nd – PP – Karl El-Mir (Kondelik) – Shot from the slot off the far post and in.
• 3-1 (Providence) – 10:38 – PP – Jack Dugan (Thompson, Mirageas) – Cross-ice pass from Thompson to Dugan at the bottom of the circle for a one-timer.
• 4-1 (Providence) – 16:28 – EV – Kasper Björkqvist (Bunz, Thompson) – Shot from the point by Bunz and the rebound deflected in off the body of Björkqvist.
• 4-2 (UConn) – 2:09 – PP – Alexander Payusov (Kondelik, Wisocky) – One-timer from the far circle.
• 5-2 (Providence) – 10:40 – PP – Scott Conway (Bjorkqvist, Dugan) – Wrist shot under the crossbar from the bottom of the slot.
• 6-2 (Providence) – 19:01 – EN – Jacob Bryson (Conway) – Empty net goal from the defensive blue line.
• 7-2 (Providence) – 19:18 – EV – Shane Kavanagh (Thompson) – Snap shot from the high slot through traffic.

GOALIES

Hayden Hawkey (PC) - 24 saves

Adam Huska (UC) - 32 saves

 

POWER PLAYS

Providence - 3/4

UConn - 2/8

 

SHOTS

Providence - 39

UConn – 26

—Staff Reports