UMass on the cusp of history
Murray delivers, Lindberg could be available tonight
UMass coach Greg Carvel has a huge decision to make at the most important position on the ice going into tonight’s NCAA championship game against St. Cloud State in Pittsburgh.
Carvel is expected have both of his goaltenders, junior Filip Lindberg and senior Matt Murray, available to face the Huskies, who are making their first appearance for the national title.
Lindberg was between the pipes in the Minutemen’s three Hockey East tournament victories and wins over Lake Superior State and Bemidji State at the Bridgeport Regional.
Lindberg, who allowed just four goals in those five games, was in COVID tracking quarantine in Amherst and missed Thursday night’s 3-2 overtime victory over two-time reigning champion Minnesota-Duluth in the nightcap. St. Cloud State beat Minnesota State 5-4 in the opener.
Murray, who hadn’t started a game since Jan. 18, made 36 saves to backbone Thursday’s victory as UMass got a token of revenge after losing to the Bulldogs in the 2019 title game.
“We have so much confidence in both of our goalies so we had no worries in the world when Murray was put in the net,” said sophomore defenseman Zac Jones, a New York Rangers draft pick.
“He played great for us and that second period could have been a 5-1 game, but he kept us in it. That motivated us going into the third and overtime.”
Lindberg, leading goal scorer and first-line right wing Carson Gicewicz and thirdstring goalie Henry Graham were in full compliance with Mass. COVID-19 state testing and quarantine requirements and allowed to travel to Pittsburgh on Friday. The trio remained in isolation from the rest of the team’s Tier 1 personnel group and will be tested again on Saturday morning.
“I have not seen the kids yet, I think they are here,” Carvel said following Friday afternoon’s practice at PPG Paints Arena. “But they are still in quarantine and I believe they are until midnight and have to test out (Saturday).
“I haven’t seen them yet but I believe they are here. Until I see them, I won’t make any decisions on anything.”
The Minutemen’s quest to capture the NCAA championship using two goaltenders is uncommon but hardly unique to the college game. Boston University did it by winning back-to back championships in 1971 and 1972 using Tim Regan and Dan Brady.
BU did it again in 1995 with Derek Herlofsky and Tommy Noble. Harvard used Allain Roy and Chuckie Hughes to turn the trick in 1989. Michigan State pulled it off in 1986 using current Bruins’ assistant coach Bob Essensa and former B’s netminder Norm Foster.
Taking the first NCAA championship trophy in program history back to campus is all that matters with one game left of the schedule.
“It would be a tremendous accomplishment,” said junior wing Anthony Del Gaizo, who took Gicewicz spot on first line and tied the game 2-2 in the third period.
The Minutemen represent the third Hockey East team that St. Cloud State will face in the NCAA tournament. The Huskies turned the Albany Regional into a Hockey East boneyard with an undeterred heavy-handed style.
St. Cloud State dispatched BU 6-2 in the semis and took down top-seeded BC 4-1 for a spot in the Frozen Four.
“I just am not doing a lot of big picture thinking really of things like that outside of the scope that we are playing a great hockey team in a one game shot and we need to bring our best,” Huskies coach Brett Larson said.