Last night in the MAAC tournament, with UConn on cruise control against
Iona going into the third period, the little inconveniences of life
suddenly intruded upon the Huskies. The Iona Gaels came roaring back from a
4-1 deficit to score four goals and tie the game at 5-5. According to the
UConn release, that was the first time all season that UConn had given up
four goals in a period. And only one of them was answered by UConn in
regulation.
 
        The game started with the run of play very even after an early goal by
UConn's Chris McNeil. Both teams were playing conservatively and it was a
battle for control of neutral ice. Several times UConn had opportunities to
deliver big hits in mid ice -- and thus lay down the law that this was
their building and their  playoff game. For some reason they declined,
preferring to poke at the puck instead. The period ended with a great deal
of uncertainty on the part of observers as to the shape of things to come.
 
        The second period started much the same way. But half way through the
period Ciro Longobardi followed a Michael Goldkind breakaway and stuffed in
the rebound. That got the crowd going as Longobardi and Goldkind are two of
the speedier players in the MAAC. Although Rob Kellogg answered for Iona
two and a half minutes later, the period belonged to UConn. Shortly after
Kellogg's goal a UConn forward delivered a thunderous open ice hit just
inside his own blueline. Whether that hit was delivered by design or by
happenstance, it changed the remainder of the period and UConn scored two
more to leave the ice with a comfortable 4-1 lead.
 
        The penalty-filled third period was wild and woolly. Enjoying a 5 on 3
advantage, Kellogg managed to pull one back for Iona about seven and a half
minutes in. McNeil replied for UConn with his second of the night two and a
half minutes later. At that point there was half a period to play, and
UConn still had a three goal lead. Shortly after, however, a thoughtless
icing by a UConn defenseman from his own blueline set up a face-off in the
UConn end. Things started to go downhill for UConn at that point.
 
        Goals by Ryan Carter and Erik Nates for Iona followed cutting the UConn
lead to one, when, with about a minute and a half left, Chris Baboulis
wound up next to the boards at the blue line and delivered a heavy slapper
on the ice towards the UConn net. UConn's Marc Senerchia was completely
unscreened and there was no possibility of a deflection. Ninety nine times
out of a hundred he would make that save. But he wanted to send the puck
into the corner and out of harm's way. Too fancy. He mistimed it, and the
puck went between his skates untouched. The Husky Hockey Faithful were left
staring at their feet in dejection. The good sized Iona fan contingent
across the ice roared in unbridled joy. The game was all even.
 
        But one improbable goal does not a season make. Especially when another
improbable goal can deliver redemption. At 1:24 into overtime Kevin Connel
picked up the puck against the Iona end boards and spun to try and get out
front. Finding his way out front blocked, he fired the puck at Iona goalie
Dan McGuire from about 12 feet and still behind the goal line. It seemed to
hit McGuire's side and deflect in. It was about the most improbable end to
the game one could have imagined. The Husky Faithful exploded to their
feet. The sound system went to maximum volume, and the celebration was on
with the fans staying in their seats for five minutes until their heroes
saluted them with raised sticks from center ice.
 
        In retrospect, the game had a couple of turning points. The big hit in the
second period changed the character of the game for UConn for the rest of
that period. Had they been looking to do that sort of thing from the very
beginning, the game might not have been so close at the end. The third
period was also a lesson for UConn who got a little nonchalant on occasion
and that led to Iona chances which could only be negated by UConn
penalties. UConn was not lucky in the way the game was called but that is
life. All in all, however, an exciting and hard fought win for the Huskies.
The playoffs are not supposed to be easy.
 
        -- Dick Tuthill
 
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