UNC Soars Past Alabama 7-4 in Action-Packed Night
By: Brian D’Aguanno
HILLSBOROUGH, NC – Prior to the game, a Hurricane Helene Relief Drive was set up in conjunction with Appalachian State’s Club hockey team. Members of Appalachian State’s Club hockey team were present at the game to take donations from fans
entering the game. Fans donated water, non-perishable food items, and other necessities to help those who were impacted by Hurricane Helene. Honorary captains RJ Davis and Seth Trimble were in attendance to watch the Tar Heels take on the Alabama Frozen Tide Friday night.
Former Carolina Panthers safety and UNC alumni Tre Boston also joined the crowd to cheer on the Tar Heels. With big names in the building, the game started out fast with the Tar Heels pushing play and generating heavy traffic in the offensive zone. The fast play paid off when Parick O’Shaughnessy made no mistake, beating the outstretched pad of Alabama’s goaltender at the 9:03 mark on a beautiful centering pass from Tommy Gilligan to give the Tar Heels an early 1-0 lead.
Just two minutes later, Carolina extended its lead when Nick Deangelo made a great play to strip an Alabama defender of the puck, firing a beautiful pass to Daniel Kauber. Kauber went backhand to forehand, finishing top corner on the breakaway. Alabama forward Tyler Zent responded quickly for the Frozen Tide on a five-hole goal, cutting the lead to 2-1.
The Tar Heels bounced back when Will Smith was able to corral a loose puck in front of the net and tuck it in on a pass from Patrick O’Shaughnessy at the 13:30 mark to stretch the lead to 3-1. Alabama made the game 3-2 when forward Max Sextro scored from the slot.
Carolina started off the second period with a power play goal when defenseman Florian Zajic fired a hard shot from the point with traffic in front of the net at the 2:37 mark, giving the Tar Heels a 4-2 lead.
Matt Grady added to the Tar Heels big game shortly after when he danced around Alabama defenders on a hard drive to the net, finishing above the goaltender’s outstretched blocker, assisted by Patrick O’Shaughnessy. The second period onslaught continued when O’Shaughnessy delivered a beautiful tape to tape pass to Will Smith, who went top shelf on the breakaway for his second goal of
the game, stretching the lead to 6-2.
“The back checker was coming on me pretty quick, so I was just trying to stay ahead of him, make sure his stick didn’t get in front of the puck, and just rip one top shelf,” said Smith. “It worked out pretty well.”
Alabama tallied a power play goal when John Schweppe scored at the 11:33 mark, cutting the lead to 6-3. The game started to get chippy with both teams increasing the level of physicality at the end of the second period. Alabama started out the third period strong when Louis Decola scored on the power play at the 1:41 mark, making the game 6-4.
Carolina would put the finishing touches on the game when forward Nick Ansbacher made no mistake on a hard net drive at the 8:18 mark.
“We’ve really tried to build a good team culture of working hard in the corners, creating chances off our forecheck and everyone just really working hard and skating as fast they can to beat other teams to those loose pucks, it really makes a difference,” said
Daniel Kauber. “I think it showed tonight.”
The Tar Heels look to extend the winning streak when they take on Rider at home on
Saturday, Oct. 5 at 10:30 p.m.
