Special teams were the difference in the UAH club hockey team’s 4-2 victory over Clemson on Friday night at the Huntsville Ice Sports Center.
The Chargers (5-2-1) had three power-play goals to snap Clemson’s seven-game win streak and move to 4-0-0 atop the College Hockey South’s D2 North standings. The Tigers fell to 7-2-0 overall and 3-1-0 in CHS play.
The second game in the series is Saturday at 12:30 p.m., just over 12 hours from when this game ended.
Clemson broke through with 2:42 remaining in a free-flowing first period with a Ronan Bryant goal, but Keaton Watts tied it up for UAH in the final minute with a score from the right circle. Kolton Watts and Tyler Trombly got the assists.
The Tigers regained the lead at 2-1 near the halfway point of the game thanks to Cade Reinhold, but UAH capitalized on Clemson slashing and elbowing penalties nine seconds apart with about 6 1/2 minutes left in the second period.
Keaton Watts put in another equalizer with 6:03 to go on the ensuing 5-on-3, and Henry Hoff gave the Chargers their first lead from the right circle a minute later.
Matteo Siciliano made it 4-2 on UAH’s third power-play goal, a drive from long-range up the middle that got over the glove of Clemson goaltender Parker Dietz.
The Chargers were also perfect on the penalty kill, denying the Tigers on five attempts. UAH goaltender Cameron Crawford came up big when it mattered, making 30 saves.