UMass hockey scores four unanswered skids in five games with 4-2 win over UNH

Everything Massachusetts hockey coach Greg Carvel told his team after the first period worked.

UMass appeared to be heading for its sixth straight loss Friday after 20 minutes against UNH, falling 2-0 while being outscored 20-5 in the first period.

The Minutemen looked like a different team from the second period, scoring three goals in the first seven minutes of the second period before adding a goal late in the third en route to snapping their five-game skid with a win 4-2 at the Whittemore Center in Durham.

The Wildcats (3-10-1) opened the scoring with 6:53 left in the first quarter. Kalle Eriksson sent a pass to Cy LeClerc who fired a point shot on the power play to give UNH the lead.

With 2:08 to go in the first, the Wildcats added a second goal. Nick Cafarelli won the face-off against Ryan Black, who headed into the slot intact on the right wing side and buried the side of the shooting glove to make it 2-0 after one period.

Kenny Connors handed UMass (6-5-1) in the second period. Scott Morrow sent a pass from the Minutemen blue line to Connors, who slipped past the Wildcats defense and finished to take the lead with 17:07 left in the second.

UMass’ Ryan Sullivan scored his first goal of the season less than a minute later. Sullivan got the puck on a strange man who rushed on a pass from Elliott McDermott and fired a shot into the top right corner of the net to tie the game, 2-2, with 16:36 left in the second .

Three minutes later, Reed Lebster put the Minutemen ahead on the power play. Cal Kiefiuk sent a pass to Connors, who then found Lebster in the slot and he found the back of the net, giving UMass a 3-2 lead with 13:36 left in the period.

Ryan Lautenback scored an insurance goal with 4:16 left in the game, firing a shot on a pass from Ryan Ufko to seal the victory for the Minutemen.

Luke Pavicich made 35 saves in the win.