{"id":414501,"date":"2026-01-18T16:28:32","date_gmt":"2026-01-18T16:28:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/414501\/"},"modified":"2026-01-18T16:28:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-18T16:28:32","slug":"umass-hockey-minutemen-muster-third-straight-win-sweep-merrimack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/414501\/","title":{"rendered":"UMass hockey: Minutemen muster third straight win, sweep Merrimack"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n

AMHERST \u2014 The UMass hockey team is heating up.<\/p>\n

Saturday\u2019s 3-1 win over Merrimack at the Mullins Center not only gave the Minutemen their first series sweep since opening weekend against Northern Michigan, they\u2019ve also only allowed four goals in four games since returning from the semester break.<\/p>\n

Junior goalie Michael Hrabal was locked in versus the Warriors again, totaling 54 saves altogether in the series, while senior captain Lucas Olvestad and freshman Lukas Klecka each scored crucial goals during Saturday\u2019s finale.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis group is earning confidence, they\u2019re playing with confidence and I think a lot of that comes from Mike Hrabal, who looks really comfortable in net,\u201d UMass head coach Greg Carvel said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Massachusetts goalie Michael Hrabal (30) prepares to stop a shot during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo<\/p>\n

Hrabal\u2019s 25 saves helped the Minutemen improve to 12-10-0 overall, plus jump several spots in the Hockey East standings. UMass now sits in eighth-place with 15 points following the six-point weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been our best player since coming back from break,\u201d Olvestad said. <\/p>\n

The Warriors tallied the first goal of the game on Trevor Hoskin\u2019s sixth tuck of the season late in the first period. The sophomore one-timed a back-door feed from Austin Oravetz past Hrabal at 18:35 of the opening frame and the visitors held the 1-0 edge into the first intermission.<\/p>\n

UMass didn\u2019t net the equalizer until 14:17 of the second period, three seconds after a power play opportunity expired. Sophomore Mikey DeAngelo\u2019s initial shot never made it all the way through, but the puck laid right at Klecka\u2019s feet around the Merrimack goal mouth and despite having his back to the yawning cage, Klecka backhanded the puck in to make it a 1-1 game.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just trying to get better at scoring every day in practice and then just trying to shoot the puck as much as I can,\u201d Klecka said. <\/p>\n

\"\"Massachusetts forward Lukas Klecka (12) keeps the puck from Merrimack defenseman Nathan King (2) during the NCAA hockey game at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo<\/p>\n

Klecka\u2019s equalizer was his first strike since Oct. 31 against Cornell.<\/p>\n

The Minutemen were awarded a five-minute power play toward the tail end of the second period after Warriors freshman Justin Gill hit DeAngelo with a late, high hit to the head, but couldn\u2019t capitalize.<\/p>\n

DeAngelo left the game and did not return. Carvel said he needed \u201ca lot of stitches,\u201d but didn\u2019t know the extent of the injury postgame.<\/p>\n

UMass\u2019 man-advantage woes were the only negative from the weekend as it went 0-for-7 in the sweep, including 0-for-4 at Mullins.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019ll be the focus now, our power play,\u201d Carvel said. \u201cI can\u2019t remember the last time we scored a power play goal.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur first unit has to start doing more,\u201d Carvel continued. \u201cThey had done such a good job at the beginning of the year, I was giving them space, but now it\u2019s an issue for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Massachusetts defenseman Landon Nycz (13) controls the puck during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo<\/p>\n

The Minutemen went ahead 2-1 on a 2-on-1 opportunity early in the third. Olvestad corralled the loose puck on the near boards in the neutral zone after a Warriors shot rimmed all the way around and out near the UMass bench, leading to the odd-man rush.<\/p>\n

The defenseman\u2019s second goal of the year was a crisp snap shot that beat Merrimack goalie Max Lundgren low, glove side at 3:28.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking pass at first but then I kind of got closed off,\u201d Olvestad said. \u201c[Carvel] was saying on the bench that a D-man would score so I thought I\u2019d make the big man happy there, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sophomore defenseman Larry Keenan iced the game with an empty-netter that spanned the length of the ice sheet with less than a minute remaining, before the final buzzer sealed the 3-1 final.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat feels really good getting that and getting in the race again,\u201d Olvestad said on winning both games against the Warriors. \u201cMerrimack is a hard team to play against too, especially at their place too, it\u2019s never been an easy game there, so that one felt good.\u201d<\/p>\n

UMass, which has now won three straight, will look to keep the winning ways going when it travels to Burlington, Vermont, next week for two against the surging Catamounts (9-12-0), who have claimed wins in four of their last five, including a sweep against ranked-Northeastern.<\/p>\n

The Minutemen have not won five consecutive games since the 2022-23 season.<\/p>\n

\"\"Massachusetts forward Cam O\u2019Neill (8) looks to pass the puck during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts goalie Michael Hrabal walks through a doorway before the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts forward Cam Dunn controls the puck during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts defenseman Lucas Olvestad looks to attempt a shot during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts forward Jack Galanek prepares for a faceoff during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts defenseman Landon Nycz controls the puck during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts defenseman Landon Nycz controls the puck during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts defenseman Coleson Hanrahan prepares for a faceoff during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts forward Daniel Jencko (17) keeps the puck from Merrimack defenseman Matthew Campbell (15) during the NCAA hockey game at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts Lukas Klecka (12) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts defenseman Owen Murray controls the puck during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts and Merrimack players compete for the puck during the NCAA hockey game at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts defenseman Owen Murray (26) controls the puck during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Merrimack goalie Max Lundgren (47) blocks a shot from Massachusetts forward Jack Musa (9) during the NCAA hockey game at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts forward Matthew Wilde (29) attempts to gain control of the puck during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts forward Jack Galanek prepares for a faceoff during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts defenseman Owen Murray, right, keeps the puck from Merrimack forward Michael Emerson, left, during the NCAA hockey game at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts goalie Michael Hrabal (30) looks to block a shot during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts defenseman Francesco Dell\u2019Elce (23) keeps the puck from Merrimack forward Nolan Flamand (20) during the NCAA hockey game at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts and Merrimack players compete for the puck during the NCAA hockey game at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts defenseman Lucas Olvestad (6) attempts a shot toward the net during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. The goal would eventually score, giving the Minutemen a 2-1 lead in the third period. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts players celebrate after a goal is scored during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts defenseman Francesco Dell\u2019Elce (23) attempts a shot toward the net during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts forward Jack Musa (9) chases after Merrimack defenseman Cam Kungle (17) during the NCAA hockey game at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts forward Jack Galanek (10) keeps the puck from Merrimack forward Michael Emerson, right, during the NCAA hockey game at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts forward Justin Kerr (15) gets caught along the boards during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts forward Jack Galanek (10) controls the puck during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo\"\"Massachusetts forward Mikey Deangelo lays on the ice after receiving a check to the head during the NCAA hockey game against Merrimack at The Mullins Center in Amherst, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. DANIEL JACOBI II \/ Staff Photo<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"AMHERST \u2014 The UMass hockey team is heating up. 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