FRIDAY ROUNDUP: Quinnipiac, UMass advance in Belfast, N.I., will meet for Belpot championship; Harvard, Michigan tie as Crimson remains without a loss; Irish routs BC

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UMass Lowell’s Zach Kaiser and UMass defenseman Elliott McDermott battle for a puck during the Friendship Four tournament in Belfast, N.I. UMass prevailed, 2-1, and will face Quinnipiac in Saturday’s title game. (Photo: William Cherry/Presseye)

After a two-year absence, college hockey returned to Northern Ireland on Friday as the 2022 Friendship Four got underway with semifinal action.

No. 4 Quinnipiac advanced past Dartmouth, 5-2, in a game the Bobcats never trailed.  Victor Czerneckianair register a goal and an assist for the Bobcats, including the eventual game-winner, Yaniv Perets needed to make just 11 saves to earn the victory.

The tournament opener was a battle of mentor and student as Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold faced former assistant and current Dartmouth bench boss Reid Cashman. It was the third time the pair have met in ECAC play with Pecknold earning the victory in all three.

In the tournament’s nightcap, it was a goaltenders duel with Luke Pavicich (32 saves), goaltender for No. 17 Massachusetts, coming out on top. Gustavs Davis Grigals (24 saves) was equally impressive for No. 14 UMass Lowell, but was beat twice by rookie sensation Kenny Connors. TJ Schweighardt scored the lone goal for the River Hawks to cut the Minutemen lead in half at 10:23 of the third, but Pavicich couldn’t be beat again making 10 saves in the final period.

The Bobcats and Minutemen will meet in Saturday’s championship game. A win for UMass would give Hockey East its fourth tournament title (UMass Lowell, Vermont, Northeastern), while a victory for Quinnipiac would even the championships between ECAC and Hockey East programs at three (Clarkson, Union).

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No. 9 Harvard 4, No. 5 Michigan 4 (F/OT)

It was a wild back-and-forth game, but when all was said and done, Harvard remains the only team in the nation without a loss.

Host Michigan rallied from 3-1 and 4-2 down and forced overtime on Phillippe LaPointe’s goal with 6:53 remaining in regulation to tie the score and force overtime.

The Crimson had an opportunity to win in overtime when Mackie Samoskevich was whistled for holding with 3:49 left in the extra session, but both goaltender – Noah West (26 saves) for Michigan and Mitchell Gibson (35 saves) each shut the door in the OT to create the final deadlock.

The Michigan rally spoiled a great night for Harvard’s Henry Thrun who scored twice, including Harvard’s fourth goal with 18:44 remaining that game the Crimson a 4-2 lead. But Nolan Moyle had a quick response for the Wolverines, just 1:44 later, and Lapointe completed the comeback late in regulation.

The two teams will complete their non-conference series on Saturday night.

No. 19 Notre Dame 5, Boston College 2

In the battle of two well-known Catholic sports rivals, Notre Dame scored the final four goals of the game to rally from a 2-1 deficit, earning a 5-2 win over Boston College.

The victory gives the Irish a split of the two-game road swing along Boston’s Commonwealth Ave., having lost to Boston University on Wednesday, 5-2.

Tyler Carpenter paced the Notre Dame offense, scoring twice and adding an assist. Jess Lansdell added a goal and assist and netminder Ryan Bischel stopped 22 shots to earn the victory.

 

Other notable games on Friday:

LIU 3, No. 12 Ohio State 2
Michigan Tech 3, No. 10 Minnesota State 2
Omaha 3, No. 1 Denver 0
No. 15 Western Michigan 6, No. 18 Northeastern 4 (Nashville, Tenn.)

 

 

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