Junior defenseman Ryan Ufko scored back-to-back overtime game-winning goals, as the No. 14 UMass hockey team swept the UMass Lowell River Hawks over the weekend. 

UMass head coach Greg Carvel mentioned that it was actually Ufko’s play design that led his second game-winning goal in as many nights on Saturday.

“We use the word integrity a lot in our program,” Carvel said. “So I need to open up by saying that, when Lowell called a timeout in overtime, Ryan Ufko drew up a play, and then he scored.”

Ufko said that he saw a video of the Buffalo Sabres running the play on Twitter the other day. The play had Ufko dive to the back door, as freshman forward Aydar Suniev looked to be winding up for a shot at the opposite circle. Suniev instead fired a slick slap pass over to Ufko, who fired home the game-clincher.

“I figured let’s give it a try with the way Lowell was pressuring out,” said Ufko. “I figured there might be a seam there and lucky enough it worked.”

Game One

Ufko scored his first game-winner on Friday night in Lowell, burying a breakaway at the 2:56 mark of overtime. 

“I was really happy with our game tonight,” said Carvel. “We played a really solid 65 minutes.”

After an uneventful first frame, senior defenseman Aaron Bohlinger finally broke the ice 18:24 into the second period, sliding a shot past UMass Lowell goaltender Henry Welsch. Junior forward Lucas Mercuri and junior defenseman Scott Morrow picked up the assists on the goal.

However, just 23 seconds later, the River Hawks were able to tie it after forward Jack Collins redirected defenseman Isac Jonsson’s shot past UMass freshman goaltender Michael Hrabal.

“You know you grind and grind and finally score a goal and then they score next shift that was a little maddening,” Carvel said.

After a scoreless third frame, the game went to overtime, where Ufko was eventually able to win it for the Minutemen. 

On a night where every team ranked from 8-17 in the USCHO.com poll lost besides UMass, the win vaulted the Minutemen to no. 10 in the pairwise ranking, which determines who makes the NCAA tournament.

Game Two

Ufko’s second game-winner mentioned earlier improved the Minutemen to 19-10-3, and earned them another two points in the Hockey East standings. After Boston College beat New Hampshire on Sunday, the Minutemen officially clinched a first round bye in the Hockey East Tournament.

It was a back and forth affair at the Mullins on Saturday, with UMass striking first midway through the first period, when Ufko sent junior forward Ryan Lautenbach on a shorthanded breakaway, which he was able to finish off to give the Minutemen the 1-0 lead.

UMass Lowell forward Jak Vaarwerk then scored two goals in a 1:04 span to give the Riverhawks the lead. “I didn’t like the way we started the game,” said Carvel. “We weren’t ready to compete.”

Suniev then scored his team-leading 12th goal of the year, sniping one past former UMass goaltender Luke Pavicich. 

“Very few players at this level are going to score that goal,” Carvel said. “He’s a shooter, he’s a scorer, he works on that stuff.”

The River Hawks were able to take the lead back, after Jonsson connected on the powerplay at 11:57 of the second period. 

It was the Minutemen’s powerplay that took control the rest of the way however. 

Just about halfway through the third period, UMass found itself on a power play. Carvel has been frustrated with the Minutemen’s powerplay as of late.

“Our powerplay has been struggling,” said Carvel. “When they went out there I said, ‘We’re only gonna score if [Ufko] shoots it from the point.’”

That is exactly what he did. Ufko found himself open near the blue line in the middle of the ice. He fired a shot through traffic, and it made its way past Pavicich to knot the game at three.

After Ufko’s second overtime winner, UMass honored its eight seniors who potentially played their last home game at the Mullins Center. It was a bittersweet moment for Bohlinger.

“It just means so much,” said Bohlinger. “It’s just a really special place. My best friends are here. We’re super fortunate.”

Bohlinger made sure to mention that there is still more work to do. “Luckily we’re not done yet,” he said.