Stonehill Captures First-Ever D-I Win After 32 Straight Losses
CHN Staff Report
With a home-and-home against Boston College on the horizon for next weekend, it was vital that UMass got points this weekend. And that it did.
The Minutemen swept a home-and-home with UConn, winning 2-0 Friday and then 3-1 Saturday back in Amherst.
Michael Hrabal stopped 72 of the 73 shots he faced on the weekend.
“There are no easy games in our league and sweeps are really hard to come by,” UMass coach Greg Carvel said. “I’m very proud of our team and our effort. It was a really solid game again. Our defensive game continues to be getting tighter and stronger. A big part of that is Michael Hrabal. Michael is really starting to look comfortable in the net.
“When you go to World Juniors, it takes a lot out of you, and I knew it would take a little time for him and Dans Locmelis to get back up to speed but it sure looks like Michael is getting there. Really, I like a group right now. We’ve got four solid lines, we’re solid in the back end and our goaltender is playing exceptional hockey.”
UMass is currently No. 10 in the Pairwise.
Stonehill 4, Lindenwood 2
Stonehill’s long, strange trip to this point finally resulted in a win, its first in Division I.
Stonehill was thrust into D-I last year when the school’s entire athletic program moved up. The move came so late, that coach David Borges could only muster four D-I games, all of which were losses.
This year, the Skyhawks lost 28 more in a row — including losses to Arizona State and Lindenwood in overtime. But Lindenwood also had wins of 7-1 and, Friday night, 10-1 over Stonehill.
As Stonehill held on late, it touched off the kind of celebration usually seen for championships, and deservedly so.
It didn’t come without drama. After taking a 1-0 lead well into the second period, the Skyhawks’ Jake Cady was called for a five-minute boarding penalty. Lindenwood then tied the game just eight seconds later. However, Stonehill killed off the remaining 4:52 and it stayed tied into the third period.
In the third, Jake LaRusso, who only joined the team mid-season, scored twice — the latter coming on a breakaway to make it 3-1. Lindenwood scored one with the extra attacked, but Stonehill…
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