Findlay scored two second-period goals en route to a 4-1 victory over Connecticut in the second game of the 10th annual UConn Hockey Classic on Sunday evening at the UConn Ice Arena.
UConn dropped to 4-10-1 on the season after taking more than three weeks off for exams and the holiday, while the Oilers (8-6-1) advance to the Classic’s championship game on Monday afternoon.
Findlay got a jump on the scoring at 2:56 of the first period. Andrew Radzak took a slapshot to the opposite upper right corner of the net with the puck deflecting off the hand of UConn defenseman Jonathan Jepson.
UConn countered 2:10 later on a combination from the Huskies freshmen trio. Robert Ryan and Chris Uber fed the puck to Eric St. Arnauld, who slotted the puck between the goal post and the skate of Findlay goalie Kevin Fines.
The Oilers scored two successive goals near the end of the second period to take the lead for the remainder of the game. DJ Vogt found the back of the net at the 16:30 mark of the period after retrieving the puck and pushing ahead of the UConn back line. Radzak finished 15 seconds later to give the Oilers the 3-1 lead.
UConn took a timeout with two minutes left in regulation, but just seven seconds after the faceoff, Findlay capped off the scoring on a Jason Maxwell empty-net goal.
UConn’s Jason Carey suffered the loss recording 25 saves, while Fines had 30 stops. UConn outshot Findlay, 31-29.
UConn will face Ferris State in the consolation game of the UConn Classic on Monday at 2:15 p.m. at the UConn Ice Arena. Alabama-Huntsville upset Ferris State in the first game Sunday evening, 5-4 in overtime.
Findlay and Alabama-Huntsville will face off for the championship in the 5:15 p.m. game.
