Wildcats get a huge win

Durham – They needed that. Man, did they need that.

The University of New Hampshire hockey team rebounded from last week’s dismal loss to Niagara with a 2-1 upset win over Vermont last night in front of 6,163 at the Whittemore Center.

Kevin Regan made 22 saves for the win in a battle of sophomore goaltenders. Joe Fallon had 26 saves for Vermont.

The win over the Catamounts, ranked No. 4 in the land, improved UNH’s record to 10-7-3 overall and 8-3-2 in Hockey East. The two teams, who tied, 3-3, in Burlington on Dec. 2, play their last regular game of the season tonight back at the Whittemore Center.

Vermont fell to 13-5-1 and 5-4-1.

The Wildcats did it without leading goal scorer Brett Hemingway, who was benched for the game. And without “Black Betty,” one of the team’s signature songs that has been played in the arena for ages and apparently has now been banned in Durham.

The Wildcats had won only twice in their last eight games, going 2-4-2 in the span. Vermont had lost only once in its last seven games, was 6-1 on the road and was coming off 1-0 and 3-0 decisions over Dartmouth and Clarkson in its own tournament last week.

Senior Andrew Leach’s second goal of the season gave UNH a 2-1 lead 1:36 into the third period. He broke down the left on a two-on-one and took a shot that beat Fallon. Defenseman Brad Flaishans assisted.

Vermont scored its goal six seconds into a power play but UNH came up with a huge penalty kill late in the game. Fallon stopped a Radja shorthanded bid and shortly after that Torrey Mitchell moved in from the point and moved in some more and fired a shot that Regan gloved.

UNH owned a rare 1-0 lead after the first period. The Wildcats have been having early game problems. It had been nearly two months — Nov. 11 against BU to be exact — since they last had a lead after the first 20 minutes.

Matt Fornataro took a pass from Trevor Smith and beat Fallon to finish off a two-on-one for the initial UNH goal at 11:02 of the period. It was Fornataro’s fourth goal of the season.

Vermont tied it just 1:08 into the second. UNH’s Josh Ciocco was called for charging and just six seconds later Mitchell scored. He won the faceoff in the UNH end, moved in and beat Regan.

Hemingway, who leads the team in goals with 11 and is second in points, missed his first game in two years.

“It’s a decision I made because of team rules,” said UNH coach Dick Umile.

Sophomore Brian Pouliot of Hooksett took Hemingway’s spot at right wing on the first line alongside Daniel Winnik and Jacob Micflikier. It was Pouliot’s fifth game of the year.

The UNH administration chose to discontinue “Black Betty.”

“We heard a few complaints about it,” said associate athletic director Steve Metcalf. “Then it was brought to our attention that the NAACP had asked that it not be used. We’re trying to be sensitive.”

Hemingway will be back for tonight’s rematch. “Black Betty” is not expected to return.

UNH had gone 0-17 on the power play in its last three games. Last night, the Wildcats failed to score on their one power play opportunity.