Last night, the University of Alabama in Huntsville Chargers took on the 3rd-ranked St. Cloud State Huskies in their second game of the weekend series. On Friday night, St. Cloud State put up a whopping 10 goals on UAH. The second game of the series was extremely different, as SCSU barely escaped with a 4-3 victory. While it’s tough for the winless Chargers to have “moral” victories, coming back from a 2-goal deficit and killing off a 5-on-3 penalty kill against the 3rd-ranked team in the nation is something to build on for the season. Below are game notes and post game video featuring head coach Mike Corbett and forwards Stephen McKenna & Matt Salhany.
Positive takeaways:
- UAH forcing SCSU to take low-scoring opportunity shots in the 1st period
- UAH answers the SCSU goal within 4 minutes
- Goaltender Matt LaRose was UAH’s best defender, going 38 of 42
- UAH held SCSU to 0-5 on the power play, including a full two minutes of 5-on-3
- Stephen McKenna went 7-0 in face-offs
- UAH playing a very physical game: blocking shots, hard-hitting in the corners.
- Scored 3 goals on only 15 shots.
- No signs of giving up for UAH. Fought hard for the puck throughout the game.
- During the 1st intermission, a young man proved he was “Smarter than a Rocket Scientist” by knowing when the UAH Hockey team was formed (1979) when the rocket scientist did not.
- The 2nd intermission featured another rousing competition of the chicken dance.
Areas for improvement:
- At the end of the 2nd period, shot totals : SCSU – 31, UAH – 8
- UAH did not register their first shot until 7:07
- Taking 5 penalties against a very dangerous SCSU team.
- Soon after the UAH game-tying goal, SCSU answers to take back the lead just 27 seconds later with under 6 minutes left in regulation.
