University of Massachusetts sophomore Rocco Carzo out-hustled a member of the Swedish Under-20 National Team to a loose puck which lead to an empty net goal for Carzo with 4:00 left in the third period, icing a 5-1 UMass hockey victory in the exhibition Saturday.
"It was nothing special," Carzo said. "It was just an empty net goal."
In addition, the sophomore was also on the ice for two more goals making him a part of three of the Mass Attack's five goals Saturday.
"You always take pride in being on the ice for our goals and not on the ice for their goals," Carzo said. "I thought my line played well."
The third period goal was Carzo's first of the season, after scoring six goals last season as a rookie, which landed him UMass Rookie of the Year honors. Carzo has not been immune to the Mass Attack's struggles this season, however.
"Coach [Don Cahoon] is expecting me to be one of the top centermen, but I'm off to a slower start [this season]," Carzo said. "But I'm getting a lot of minutes so I think I'll pick it up and start producing more."
Some of UMass' early struggles could be due to a large number of freshman and sophomore players, like Carzo, who are being counted on to give the Mass Attack good minutes for their time on the ice.
"We've got maybe seven or eight guys in the lineup that are first year players," Carzo said. "But they've been solid. The goals will come. We just have to keep competing."
UMass will need the goals to come if they hope to make any noise this season. At 0-6-3 the Minutemen are still searching for their first win in NCAA play.
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