UMass hockey: Michael Hrabal (35 saves) rises to the occasion again as Minutemen finish sweep of UConn via 3-1 win

With a series against the No. 1 team in the country on deck, the UMass hockey team took care of business over the weekend.

After a win on the road Friday night, the Minutemen capped a weekend sweep of UConn with a 3-1 victory on Saturday at the Mullins Center in Amherst.

UMass improved to 16-7-3 overall, 9-5-2 in Hockey East action. The Minutemen will play No. 1 Boston College next weekend, with a home game at the Mullins Center on Friday night before the return game at Conte Forum on Sunday at 1 p.m.

UMass freshman goalie Michael Hrabal capped one of his best weekends with the program, making 35 saves to earn the win. He pitched a shutout in the team’s 2-0 win on Friday night, allowing just one goal across 120 minutes of game action versus the Huskies (12-15-2, 7-11-1).

UMass took a 1-0 lead in the first period when Cam O’Neill scored with assists from Samuli Niinisaari and Scott Morrow.

Aydar Suniev doubled the advantage in the second period, making it a 2-0 game when he tallied with assists from Morrow and Lucas Mercuri.

Ryan Tattle answered for UConn with a goal midway through the second period, but the Minutemen re-established their two-goal cushion less than two minutes later with a Cole O’Hara strike for a 3-1 advantage. Kenny Connors and Jack Musa were credited with assists on O’Hara’s goal.

UConn held a 37-27 edge in shots on goal, but Hrabal’s heroics lifted the Minutemen to their fourth win in five games.