Video: Postgame Interview With Rob Linsmayer
WORCESTER, Mass. – Sophomore Rob Linsmayer (Winnetka, Ill.) led the Holy Cross men's hockey team to a win over Connecticut, 4-2, at the Hart Center on Friday evening in Atlantic Hockey action as he recorded two goals and one assist for three points. With the win, the Crusaders improve to 8-14-3 overall (7-8-3 Atlantic Hockey), while the Huskies fall to 7-14-4 overall (7-9-2 Atlantic Hockey). These two teams will conclude their three-game regular season series on Saturday, Jan. 29, at the Hart Center at 7:00 p.m. The season series is now tied at 1-1-0, as UConn defeated the Crusaders by a 2-1 score on Dec. 29.
Linsmayer found the back of the net five minutes into the game, off a power play goal to put the Crusaders up 1-0. Sophomore Evan Zych (Kilbride, Ontario) and junior Mike Daly (South Burlington, Vt.) were credited with the assist. Linsmayer then put up his second goal of the night at 13:49 off an assist from sophomores Brandon Nunn (Fairport, N.Y.) and Kyle Fletcher (Kanata, Ontario). Connecticut's Andrew Olson answered back less than a minute later at 14:48 off an assist from Rui Encarnacao during the Connecticut power play.
Both teams went scoreless in the second period with Holy Cross holding the advantage on shots, 6-2.
The Crusaders came out firing in the third period, outshooting the Huskies 16-10. After several saves by UConn goalie Garrett Bartus, Fletcher placed a shot between the goalie's legs putting Holy Cross ahead 3-1. Junior Matt Clune (Toronto, Ontario) and Linsmayer contributed for the assist, brining Linsmayer's total points on the day to three. With 7:30 left, junior Gianni Baldassari (Fort Wayne, Ind.) blasted a shot to the top right corner to give the Crusaders the 4-1 advantage. Seniors Jamie Jelinek (Great Falls, Va.) and J.P. Martignetti (Winchester, Mass.) assisted on the goal. The Huskies' capitalized on the final power play of the night as Chris Waterstradt slipped in a shot with 14 seconds left on the clock making the final 4-2.
Senior goalie Adam Roy (Feeding Hills, Mass.) put up 18 saves for the Crusaders, making a game high of nine in the third period. He is now 2-6-1 on the season. Bartus took the loss for the Huskies, making a total of 19 saves in 46:19. He falls to 7-12-4 on the year. Matt Grogan made six saves in 13:41. Holy Cross went 1-2 on the power play and Connecticut went 2-5. The Crusaders outshot UConn, 29-20.
