UConn Men’s Hockey Bounces Back with 3-1 Win Over RPI

After suffering a tough 7-2 loss to Providence on Friday night, the UConn men’s hockey team recovered with a solid 3-1 win over the RPI Engineers on Saturday. The Huskies got a pair of goals from Alexander Payusov and one from Max Kalter in the victory.

Neither team found any success offensively in the first two periods with the score knotted at 0-0 through 40 minutes. The Huskies had three power play chances but were unable to convert on any.

Once the third period began, however, the scoring came quick. UConn jumped ahead 1-0 just 37 seconds in off the stick of Payuosov with an assist from Corson Green. The lead barely lasted four minutes before RPI tied it thanks to a scrum in front of the net.

The scoring continued later in the period when Brian Rigali sent a puck up to Benjamin Freeman, who slotted the puck across the ice to Kalter, who buried the eventual game-winner and put the Huskies up 2-1. Payusov put a cap on the game with an empty-netter in the waning moments — his fourth goal of the season.

Adam Huska got the night off in favor of freshman Tomas Vomacka between the pipes. The Czech Republic native stopped 23 shots and picked up the win in his first career appearance.

With the victory, UConn improves to 2-2-0 on the young season. Next up on the UConn men’s hockey schedule, the Huskies finally get off the road and play at home for the first time this season with a pair of games against conference foe Maine on Friday night and Saturday afternoon at the XL Center.