D1 Men: UConn can’t close out win vs. Northeastern

UConn couldn't hold on to a 2-1 third-period lead vs. Northeastern. (Courtesy: UConn Athletics)

BOSTON -- Playing a full 60 minutes is a necessity in Hockey East.

Assistant captain Max Kalter didn’t think his UConn team did that Friday night as host Northeastern scored twice in the latter half of the third period to earn a 3-2 win at Matthews Arena. But there’s plenty to learn from the process of playing in four straight one-goal contests, especially with nine freshmen in its lineup of 19 skaters.

“It's a theme that we haven't mastered yet, and I think it's cost us some wins in the past,” said Kalter said of closing out games, as UConn has now lost back-to-back games in the third period or overtime. “We just need to be more detailed and play a full 60. I don’t think we’ve done that in the past couple games, but it’ll come. We’re nine games in, still learning and developing.”

Despite 4-4-1 overall and 2-3-1 Hockey East marks, the good news, though, is that sixth-year head coach Mike Cavanaugh (North Andover, Mass.) likes the way his club — the league’s second-youngest with 12 first-year members in total — is showing and coming together.

And it played with confidence for a large percentage of the game against a No. 15 team in the nation that has shown well late in games, already coming back for three victories when trailing after two periods.