The UConn men’s hockey team is coming off two less-than-stellar games against Providence last weekend. The Huskies lost game one of the two-game series with a final score of 4-1 and tied the second game 2-2. However, Northeastern is coming off a win, having swept Stonehill last week.
With just one loss this season, Northeastern will be a tough team to beat, so UConn will need to bring its A-game. This is the first time the two teams will face off against each other this season since their last matchup in March, where UConn had a strong 7-1 victory.
Senior Tyler Muszelik has been a steady player for UConn so far this season. The 6-foot-3 goaltender has prevented several goals this season but often struggles in later periods in letting in goals. Muszelik averages a .928 save percentage and has started in nine of ten games for the team.
So far, UConn (4-4-2) has performed better in away games with a record of 2-1-1 compared to an at home record of 2-3-1.
UConn’s “Ice Bus” has many tenured players this season, with a combination of freshman newcomers already making an impact.
Junior forward Joey Muldowney currently leads the Huskies in goals (five), with teammate Jake Richard leading the team in assists (six).
Northeastern (7-1-0) is one of the hottest teams in the Hockey East right now, with junior Dylan Hryckowian leading the team with five goals. They have won their last six games in a row.
UConn will need to get the puck past goaltender junior Lawton Zacher, who was named the Hockey Commissioner’s Association Goalie of the Month for October. Zacher closed out October with a .952 save percentage and 1.51 goals against average, according to Northeastern Athletics.
Zacher had a season high of 40 saves against Boston College and gave up only nine goals throughout the month.
“Northeastern played a strong, smart, game tonight and they just kept on making good plays. They’re a solid team,” said Boston College Men’s Hockey head coach Greg Brown.
Last week, Hockey East ranked Northeastern No. 11 for Men’s National Rankings and UConn at No.14. With the season just getting started, both of these Hockey East teams will be looking for a win in the regular season.
UConn will host Northeastern this Friday, Nov. 14, at Toscano Family Ice Forum in Storrs with a puck drop set for 7 p.m. Both teams will then head to Boston on Saturday to face off again at Matthews Arena. Puck drop for the game on Saturday, Nov. 15, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Husky fans can tune into both games on ESPN+.