Keaton Watts’s power-play goal early in overtime gave the UAH club hockey team its first victory of the season, a 4-3 decision over Tennessee on Friday night at the Huntsville Ice Sports Center.
The Chargers got a four-point night from Keaton’s brother Kolton and 43 saves from goaltender Cameron Crawford to win the College Hockey South opener for both teams.
Tennessee (0-3-0 overall, 0-1-0 CHS) scored the opening goal halfway through the first period on a close call. Connor Frazer’s shot in the slot was just before a whistle, and the officials determined that the puck crossed the goal line past Crawford in time.
The Chargers (1-1-1 overall, 1-0-0 CHS) tied the game at 1-1 just under five minutes remaining in the second period when Matteo Siciliano’s blast from the left point found its way home. Kolton Watts and Henry Hoff got the assists on the power-play goal.
The Vols regained the lead about six minutes later on a Michael Consentino tally, but UAH equalized again with 1:07 to go in the period. Kolton Watts followed up a rebound from the right circle after a Charger breakaway to make it 2-2 after two.
Kolton scored his second goal of the night halfway through the third, taking Keaton’s pass from the defensive zone up the right wing and beating Patrick Green for UAH’s first lead.
The Chargers committed back-to-back tripping penalties, and Louis Gimbert tied the game for Tennessee at 3-3 with 2:19 left in regulation.
Then the Vols got the penalty bug, with boarding and roughing calls to set up a two-man advantage in the final 1:22 of regulation.
The game did go into overtime, and with a 5-on-4 advantage, Keaton Watts found the puck in the slot and wristed it home for the winner 52 seconds in.
The Chargers won despite the Vols holding a 46-30 advantage in shots.
UAH sees its first road action next weekend at Middle Tennessee State.
Pictured: Cameron Crawford, Josh Campbell, and Zachary Wolfe celebrate UAH’s overtime victory. Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photography.