Huntington News

Issue date: 3/17/08 Section: Sports

BURLINGTON, VT - Despite playing a hard fought, physical game and staying on Vermont's tail throughout the night, the Catamounts proved too difficult for the Huskies. Northeastern dropped the final and deciding game of its three-game Hockey East quarterfinals contest with Vermont 4-1 yesterday.

Vermont quickly gained the advantage in the game, scoring on a shot from near the blue line by Catamount forward Brayden Irwin. The shot was rifled into the top right shelf, passing sophomore goalie Brad Thiessen's shoulder.

After the teams skated to a scoreless second period, the Huskies responded early in the third. Senior forward Jimmy Russo took a centering pass in front of the net and managed to beat UVM goaltender Joe Fallon on his right side to even the game at one.

That goal, however, proved to be Northeastern's only scoring play of the night, and UVM took back the lead about three minutes later on a crucial play in which UVM forward Brian Roloff stole the puck from NU freshman Wade MacLeod at the NU blue line. Roloff passed it ahead to teammate Corey Carlson at the Vermont blue line, and Carlson took the puck and skated in unhindered on a breakaway, deking out Thiessen and sending a backhand shot top shelf to score the game-winner.

Head coach Greg Cronin called it a tough play to go down on,and said he could live with a power play goal or hard-earned cycle play goal, but that a breakaway was disappointing.

"It's a painful ending. To give up a breakaway in the third period is mind numbing," he said. "That's not the way to go out."

With the momentum shifted in their favor, the Catamounts drove the nail in the coffin with a third goal with about five minutes left in the game. Roloff found a well placed centering pass in front of the net and dumped it into the open side before the Catamounts. UVM added a fourth empty net goal with a minute left.

The best-of-three playoff series was sent to a third game after the two teams split opening matchups. UVM blanked Northeastern 1-0 Friday night before the Huskies responded the next night with a 2-1 overtime victory. The pair of squads were playing for the right to advance to the Hockey East semifinals, which are to be held at the TD Banknorth Garden starting Friday.

In last Friday's affair, both squads played a tight defensive game characterized by a lack of shots and quality scoring opportunities. The Huskies were stifled by a tight Vermont defense and managed to put just 20 shots on Fallon, who recorded his third shutout in his last 15 starts.

Continued...

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