After dropping each of their last four contests over the past two weeks, the UConn men’s hockey team will look to regain some momentum heading into the final weeks of the season when they take on Northeastern for a home-and-home series this weekend.
The Ice Bus has been playing well below their own standards after ranking as a top-10 program last season. Two weekends ago, they dropped both of their matchups to No. 11 Massachusetts, though this past weekend has perhaps been their toughest stretch of the season. The team took on a stout Boston University team, ranked No. 2 in the nation, and seemed utterly outmatched. They lost 6-1 last Friday in front of home fans at the Toscano Family Ice Forum before action moved to Boston for game two, which they lost 6-0. It was the team’s second-straight one-goal weekend and they’ve now been outscored by opponents 23-4 over the last three weeks.
“I think that there’s always value in learning from the previous weekend,” UConn head coach Mike Cavanaugh said before ahead of the Northeastern set. “We did some good things last weekend; we didn’t do enough… we just need to take some of those positives and move on.”
The Ice Bus has seen its overall record drop to 12-17-2 as a result of their recent losses. Against Hockey East opponents, they have gone 7-13-1, resulting in 23 points. They are currently tied for eighth place in the conference alongside Vermont and are essentially guaranteed to be playing in the first round of the Hockey East tournament after they earned themselves a bye as a top-five seed last season. They’ve scored 38 goals in conference play this season, only better than last-place UMass Lowell.
The other Huskies, Northeastern, have won nine of their last 12 games dating back to Jan. 13. They played two games at No. 9 Maine this past weekend, dropping the first by a 5-1 score before rebounding for a 4-0 victory in game two. Senior forward Alex Campbell rattled home two goals in the victory while sophomore forward Cam Lund tallied two points on the weekend thanks to a score and an assist. Freshman goaltender Cameron Whitehead was superb in the shutout win as he secured 39 saves, his second-highest total this season, including 22 in the second period alone.
Northeastern overcame a rough start to their season, and they’ve played their way back to an overall record over .500 (15-14-2). In Hockey East play, Northeastern has gone 8-13-0, yielding 26 points and placing them just in front of UConn in seventh place in the conference. They’ll need to make up at least six points for a chance at a top-five seed in the conference with just three games remaining, meaning they will more than likely be playing in the opening round of the Hockey East tourney.
According to the UConn Athletics webpage, Northeastern has historically had UConn’s number, going 8-14 in 22 games dating back to 2015. That includes losses in each of the first eight games Connecticut played against Northeastern. The last matchup came last February when UConn scored in overtime to claim a 4-3 overtime win over Northeastern in Boston, Massachusetts.
Sophomore forward Jake Percival has been a bright spot for Connecticut throughout an otherwise forgettable campaign. The Avon native tallied a point over the weekend for assisting on UConn’s lone goal against Boston University. In 31 games, the sophomore has totaled seven goals and six assists, giving him 13 points on the campaign. That is tied with senior Andrew Lucas for the fifth-most points for the Huskies. In addition, his .135 shooting percentage ranks seconds and his +5 plus/minus third for UConn. He’ll continue to be a focal point in Connecticut’s offense as they look to rebound in the upcoming weekend.
Campbell has been one of Northeastern’s top performers on offense this season. In 31 games, the senior has knocked in 18 goals, the best on his squad. He’s also dished out 15 assists for a total of 33 points on the year, the second most behind sophomore Jack Williams. In the victory versus Maine, Campbell scored multiple goals for the fifth time this season. He also tallied a hat trick in an early December contest against Brown University. With a plus/minus of +10, Campbell is one of three Huskies with a plus/minus in the double-digits. The forward figures to be a key piece in Northeastern’s offensive attack.
Game one between the two programs is set for Friday at 7 p.m. from the Matthews Arena in Boston and will air on NESN+. Game two will take place on Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Toscano Family Ice Forum in Storrs, Connecticut, when the Huskies will honor their graduating senior class with a Senior Day ceremony. Fans can catch that game live on ESPN+.