Nov. 20, 2009
STORRS, Conn. - Behind a 49 save effort by rookie Jeff Larson (Ballwin, Mo.), the University of Connecticut men's hockey team battled to a 2-2 tie against Air Force in front of 625 people at the Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum, Friday. Larson's 49 saves on the night is good enough for fifth best on the UConn Division I All-Time Single Game Save List and boosts him to over 300 saves on the season already ( 317). It was also a career-best in his collegiate career. The Huskies boosted their record to 2-7-2 on the season, 2-4-2 in Atlantic Hockey play while Air Force earned their third tie of the year improving to 5-5-3, 5-1-3 AHA. UConn tied the game up with less than seven minutes remaining in the third period when senior captain Michael Coppola (Old Brookville, N.Y.) notched his second goal of the season with some help from his linemates junior Jeff Sapieha (Calgary, Alberta) and freshman Evan Carriere (Ottawa, Ontario). The assist was the third of the season for Sapieha as Carriers garnered the first point of his collegiate career on the assist. The Huskies were the first to get on the board in the opening period when junior assistant captain Andrew Olson (Alexandria, Minn.) capitalized on a power play opportunity to give the Huskies a 1-0 advantage. Olson was aided by sophomore Dan Naurato (Livonia, Mich.) and freshman Alex Gerke (Tomah, Wisc.) on the man-up goal. The assist was the second of the season for Naurato as Gerke tallied his fourth point in the last five games. Air Force erased the lead with a four-on-four goal of their own at the end of the first period. After matching penalties, Derrick Burnett scooped up a wide shot by Tim Kirby and snuck the puck past Larson over his right shoulder to even the game up heading into the first intermission. Air Force dominated the shots total in the first period recording 16 to the Huskies four, but the score was even at one-all. In the second, the Falcons once again outshot the Huskies this time 18 to nine. On their 17th shot of the period, Jacques Lamoureux connected with the back of the net to give Air Force the one-goal lead entering the final period of play with a power play goal. Air Force continued to bring the offense in the third period taking another 15 shots to UConn's eight. Larson recorded an amazing game-changing save in the middle of the third period that really shifted the momentum in the Huskies' favor. In a one-on-one opportunity after diving to the left, Larson recovered and using his stick scooped up the puck before it crossed the line, pushing it back out into play to save the would-be goal and keep the Huskies in the game. Larson's save boosted UConn's momentum and just moments later, Coppola recorded the game-tying goal. UConn's defense and Larson's goaltending skills helped to shut Air Force down for the remainder of regulation and the overtime period as the Huskies earned their second tie of the season. The two teams will meet again on Saturday night at 7:05 in the final game of the weekend series at Freitas.
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