Dutchmen fall 5-2 to UNH (with postgame audio)

Box Score

by Ryan Fay

A round-up of 18th-ranked Union's 5-2 loss to New Hampshire Saturday at Messa Rink.

RECURRING TREND

Union forward Spencer Foo scored a power-play goal
in Saturday's 5-2 loss to New Hampshire.
(Union College Athletics)

One of the recurring themes for Union early on this season has been blowing leads. The Dutchmen have wasted leads in five of their first six games, including Saturday when New Hampshire rallied from an early 2-1 deficit to win 5-2. The loss was Union's (2-1-3) first this season.

Dutchmen forward Spencer Foo, who opened the scoring with a power-play goal, said that theme needs to change.

“We need more energy as a group, and we have to come out a bit harder,” he said. “It seems like a common theme right now that we go into our locker room with a little bit of momentum and come out flat. It’s unacceptable.”

PREPARATION IS KEY
Both Union and New Hampshire had tough nights on Friday.

The Dutchmen had to settle for the 5-5 tie against Michigan after letting three leads slip away throughout the course of the game. The Wildcats (2-2-1) were worse off, blowing a 6-1 lead at UMass and settling for a 6-6 draw.

Union head coach Rick Bennett thought New Hampshire was better prepared to rebound on Saturday.

“Hats off to UNH,” Bennett said. “[Coach] Dick Umile and his staff, obviously, did a great job, better than our staff, of getting the guys in a short turnaround for the second night when we each had some tough nights the night before as far as how the games kind of played out. It’s a veteran coach getting his team ready, and a coach of five years not. It’s pretty simple.”

FORGETTABLE NIGHT
Union defenseman Nick DeSimone has had some good games in his young collegiate career. But the sophomore probably would like to forget Saturday's.

With a Union power play about to expire early in the second period, DeSimone fired a shot that went wide of the net. It rolled along the boards until it was picked up by Maxim Gaudreault, who sped to the other end of the ice on a breakaway and beat Dutchmen goalie Jake Kupsky. The tally tied the score at 2-2 and was the first of four unanswered goals for the Wildcats.

Midway through the second, DeSimone tripped at center ice, springing an odd-man rush for New Hampshire that resulted in Tyler Kelleher giving the Wildcats a 3-2 lead. 

DROUGHT OVER

Foo's first period power-play snapped Union's drought on the man advantage.

The Dutchmen had come up empty on their previous 16 power-play chances. Before Foo's goal, the last time Union notched a power-play tally was in the first period against Boston University on Oct. 10.

Union's power-play finished 1-for-4 on Saturday. On the season, the unit is 2-for-24.

STREAK SNAPPED

The loss snapped Union's three-game winning streak against the Wildcats dating back to 2011. New Hampshire leads the all-time series 5-3.

UP NEXT

Union begins ECAC Hockey action next weekend after starting its season with six non-conference games.

The Dutchmen will host Capital District rival RPI on Friday before traveling to the Houston Field House on Saturday. The Engineers are off to a 1-4 start this season, including three straight losses.

For the most part, Bennett is pleased where Union is heading into league play.

"There's a few moments we'd really like to have back," Bennett said. "But hopefully, we're going to learn from those. As for what [our] record is, it's one loss in six games. We can't lose [sight] of that as a staff and as players. They just know they have to come back, rest up tomorrow, and do what they need to do. The team we're facing on Friday night will be very hungry, and we have to be just as hungry as them."

POSTGAME AUDIO

Union coach Rick Bennett



Union's Spencer Foo and Jeff Taylor



New Hampshire coach Dick Umile 



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