Team looks to bounce back against Huskies

AMHERST - After two consecutive disappointing losses, the University of Massachusetts hockey team hopes to find some consistency as it heads into its game with Connecticut at 7 tonight at the Mullins Center.

"We're trying to grow our team and figure out who we are and what we are," UMass coach Don "Toot" Cahoon said. "This week we've tried to regroup and figure out what makes us tick when we're going right and what are the problems that get in the way of us being as good as we can be.

"Clearly we have a good side to us, but we haven't found a way to show it enough," he added. "It's been a real concern. We've got 23 games left and 18 league games to make this thing go right. There's enough ability here for us to have some success. The success has to be day-to-day success. We've been inconsistent and we're working hard to address that."

The Minutemen (6-6-1) had wins over Boston University and Boston College in November. But UMass lost its last two games at home to Vermont and St. Lawrence, both by 4-3 scores.

Cahoon said the coaching staff has altered its approach a bit this week.

"We shook things up in terms of how we're practicing and how we're preparing," Cahoon said.

UConn (4-10) has struggled through the first two months of the season and is in last place in Atlantic Hockey at 3-5.

Marcello Ranallo (four goals, eight assists) and Jason Krispel (one goal, 11 assists) lead the Huskies in scoring with 12 points apiece. Andrew Olson leads in goals scored with seven. Krispel is the only Husky roster (plus 3) with a positive plus-minus rating.

Junior goalie Brad Erickson has started 12 games and is 3-9 with a 3.74 goals against average and an .887 save percentage. Sophomore Brad McInnis is 1-1 with a 1.86 goals against average and .946 save percentage.

After losing five straight, the Huskies have gone 2-2 in their last four games.

UMass leads the all-time series with UConn 30-8-2. The Minutemen have won the last two and five of the last six games in the series.

TICKETS - UMass is offering its "stocking stuffer" ticket promotion again. Fans can get four tickets to the Jan. 9 game against New Hampshire or the Jan. 16 game against Providence for $30.

Tickets to the 25th annual Hockey East Tournament at the TD Banknorth Garden go on sale at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Garden box office or through Ticketmaster.com. Tickets are $39, $37, $29 or $17. Student tickets, which can be purchased only on campus or at the Garden box office, are $10.

The tournament semifinal games are at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. March 20. The championship game is at 7 p.m. March 21.

HOCKEY EAST NOTES - Three Hockey East teams will be shorthanded during the holidays because five of the league's players will play for Team USA at the World Junior Championships in Ottawa, Ontario, from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5.

The Hockey East players are Boston College forward Jimmy Hayes, New Hampshire forward James van Riemsdyk and defenseman Blake Kessel and Boston University forward Colin Wilson and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk.

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. For more UMass coverage, including a UMass sports blog, go to http://www.gazettenet.com/category/sports/umass-sports.