Oct. 31, 2008

Dan Meyers' Movie Blog #2 - Halloween Horror Flick Edition
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Happy Halloween UMass hockey fans! Jillian Jakuba of the UMass Media Relations staff keeping you up-to-date with the live action from the Minutemen's home opener at Mullins Center.

7:03 P.M. Here are tonight's starting lineups.

Providence - LW, #26 Ian O'Connor; C, #16 John Cavanagh, RW #17 Matt Bergland, LD #24 Matt Taormina, RD #44 Bryce Aneloski, G #29 Justin Gates.

UMass - LW #15 Brian Keane, C #26 Brett Watson, RW #16 Scott Crowder, LD #2 Martin Nolet, RD #27 Justin Braun, G #33 Dan Meyers.

7:10 P.M. Power play coming up for the Friars with a penalty on Doug Kublin for obstruction/hooking at 3:15.

7:12 P.M. 1-0 Providence. Goal by John Cavanagh at 5:31 from Ian O'Connor and Matt Bergland. The crowd of costumed-clad UMass faithful are not pleased. Speaking of costumes, I've seen some interesting ones out there. Everything from Ghostbusters to a blind referee.

7:18 P.M. Another quick goal by the Friars to bring the score to 2-0. O'Connor gets this one, this time with Bergland grabbing a secondary assist and Mark Fayne with the primary helper.

7:24 P.M. UMass went on the power play after Danny Hobbs was taken down right in front of the goal by Mark Fayne, but the Minutemen were unable to captialize.

7:26 P.M. And just like that, the Mass Attack is on the board, courtesy of a goal on the doorstep by Alex Berry at 13:31. James Marcou and Cory Quirk picked up asists on the tally.

7:29 P.M. UMass is back on the penalty kill after Will Ortiz was called for high sticking at 14:49.

7:31 P.M. Nearing the close of the period we are now knotted up at 2-2 after a pretty re-direction by Topher Bevis off a shot by Chase Langeraap. The crowd is becoming increasingly lively now that UMass has the chance to take the lead on the power play. Providence penalty at 18:04.

7:34 P.M. Goals are being scored almost as fast as I can type! Chase Langeraap just found the back of the net at 19:17 to give the Minutemen a 3-2 lead. This game might be 10-9 by the time we are through. But that will be all for the first, as we head to the first intermission: UMass 3, Providence 2.

7:45 P.M. It's mid-way through the intermission and I am thoroughly enjoying the people watching..seeind all the different costumes that are out in the crowd. Speaking of, the crowd is currently voting on the "best costume" and it appears a guy dressed as a Roman soldier has won. Another great Halloween perk of the evening-candy on press row (the good stuff..Snickers, Reese's, etc.) Big props to UMass hockey contact John Sinnett (if these candy buckets are, in fact, his doing).

7:53 P.M. The second period has just gotten underway and no sooner is the puck dropped than the Friars tie the score at three. Nick Mazzolini just top-shelfed one past Dan Meyers 1:12 in.

7:57 P.M. I'm beginning to think my 10-9 prediction might not be that far off. It's 2:08 into the period and Providence has taken a 4-3 lead. This one came off the stick of Andy Balysky from Kyle MacKinnon.

8:00 P.M. Now it's really getting absurd. UMass has scored two goals and is now up 5-4. Alex Berry and Chase Langeraap have scored 12 seconds apart.

8:04 P.M. Enough about the offense, now that I have a second to talk about our goaltenders. Paul Dainton has relieved Dan Meyers in net for the Minutemen, while Justin Gates just made the first rediculous save of the game, denying UMass a sixth goal.

8:06 P.M. The Minutemen have another power play as Pierce Norton has just gotten two minutes for boarding.

8:09 P.M. James Marcou has now scored the sixth of the game for UMass, unassisted at 10:24, prompting a Providence time out.

8:12 P.M. According to John Sinnett, the most goals between Providence and UMass is 20 in a 15-5 loss for the Minutemen way back in 1954.

8:15 P.M. UMass is now on the penalty kill as Davis went to the box for interference at 12:41.

8:19 P.M.The Minutemen successfully killed the penalty and are now on the power play. Providence's Daniel New for interference at 14:43. Cory Quirk converts for UMass at 15:57 and it's now 7-4. Assists to James Marcou and Alex Berry.That marked Marcou's third helper of the game and Berry's having a nice evening, as well, as he now has two goals and an assist to his credit.

8:25 P.M. The second period has come to a close and so far we've seen a total of 11 goals. More excitement is in store for the third, I'm sure, if the first two periods are any indication.

8:44 P.M. We are 1:07 into the third period and UMass has its eighth goal. James Marcou has his second of the game and now has five points in the contest. Cory Quirk's assist on the tally was his second of the game and third point.

8:50 P.M. UMass is on the power play once again as Daniel New is called for boarding at 4:31.

8:55 P.M. The Minutemen have another goal and it's now 9-4. Will Ortiz drives one past Chris Mannix at 9:13 and Casey Wellman picks up the helper.

8:58 P.M. There's no lack of action tonight folks! Danny Hobbs went to the box for interference at 9:46, but the Providence man-advantage is cut short as Dan Brown is called for interference at 10:42.

9:04 P.M. Just over five minutes left to play in the third and something tells me we're not done yet. Shots are 34-29 in favor of the Minutemen.

9:10 P.M.We're under two minutes to go and the fans in the Mullins Center are serenading Providence with a variety of send off chants.

9:16 P.M. This one's officially in the books, folks! Your final score: UMass 9, Providence 4. Three Stars of the Game: #3 - UMass' Alex Berry (2g, 1a), #2 - UMass' Cory Quirk (1g, 2a), and #1 - UMass' James Marcou (2g, 3a).

9:23 P.M.Other games from around Hockey East are still wrapping up, but before I leave you all, here are some scores: New Hampshire 2, Northeastern 1 (10:00, 3rd); Boston College 3, Merrimack 3 (5:00, OT); Maine 4, Niagara 2 (6:45, 3rd). That's it from Mullins...thanks for reading. And most importantly....

GO UMass!!