Senior Dan Cotter scored with 4.7 seconds left in overtime, to lift Fairfield over Connecticut Saturday, 3-2, in MAAC action. Cotter’s game winner was his seventh goal, and sixth power-play tally this season
The win concludes a weekend road split with the Huskies, and improves the Stags to 4-13-1 overall and 3-7-1 in the MAAC.
Fairfield scored at the 8:19 mark of the first period, the only score of the stanza. Jack Devaney dished the puck from the top of the right circle past a Husky defender to Lyon Porter, who stickhandled in front of the net and stuffed it into the right corner. Linemate Hunter Greeley added an assist on the play.
The Stags made it two-goal lead at the 14:42 mark of the second period off a scrum created as a result of continued offensive-zone pressure. Joe Whelan managed to pop a loose puck over the goal line after a buildup in front of the crease. Mike Aylward and Brian Payant assisted on the goal.
Matt Grew nearly cut the lead in half for UConn midway through the period, but Fairfield goaltender Andrew Martin flashed his blocker to stop the forward on a clean breakaway from the blue line.
Fairfield controlled possession through the first 10 minutes, but allowed UConn (5-13-2, 4-8-2) to come from behind in the third period for the second straight night.
DJ Miller slapped the puck in from the side of the net off a rebound at the 14:32 mark of the period. The game-tying tally came with 39 seconds remaining in regulation with the UConn goalie pulled from the net. The UConn centerman won an offensive-zone faceoff to Brett Bostok, whose initial shot was saved, but Kurt Kamienski knocked in the rebound from the short side between the post.
The two teams traded possessions, but neither had a true scoring opportunity until the final seconds of overtime.
At the 4:19 mark of the extra frame, the Huskies were whistled for delay of game. Fairfield won the ensuing face-off, gained the blue line, and worked the perimeter for a shot. With 10 seconds left, the puck found its way to Jonathan Wyson, who fired the puck on goal. Rae Metz collected the rebound, then fed Cotter just off the post.
He jammed home the winner just 4.7 seconds before time expired.
Sophomore Andrew Martin, was stellar in goal, making 32 saves for Fairfield. In addition to the breakaway stop on Grew in the second period, the Plano, Tex., native had several key stops on the two UConn power plays, and one brilliant pad save on a two-on-one late in the third period.
As a team, Fairfield was one-for-two on the power play and two-for-two on the penalty kill.
