Cocca Scores, Men’s Hockey Falls at UNH, 5-1

Saturday, January 4

Durham, NH

7:00 PM

Brown University

3-11-0

New Hampshire

10-8-1

Brown

New Hampshire

Cocca Scores, Men’s Hockey Falls at UNH, 5-1

1/4/2020 10:03:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. – Rookie Bradley Cocca (Toronto, Ontario) netted an early goal but New Hampshire scored four times in the opening period as the Brown men's hockey team fell to the Wildcats, 5-1, Saturday night at the Whittemore Center.

Brown moved to 3-11-0 overall, while UNH improved to 10-8-1.

Eric Macadams and Patrick Grasso had two goals apiece to lead the Wildcats. Ty Taylor made 18 saves to pick up the win.

Gavin Nieto (Yorba Linda, Calif.) started in net for the Bears and gave up three goals, before giving way to Gabriel Vinal (Syracuse, N.Y.), who racked up 35 saves in his first career game.

"We need to be better at the start of games," said head coach Brendan Whittet. "I think we're coming off a long break, and practice does not simulate game conditions. We just have to be better as a team."

UNH jumped out to an early lead just 4:20 into the contest. Liam Blackburn won a faceoff in the offensive end and Macadams quickly beat Nieto for his fourth of the season. Macadams added his second of the period less than three minutes later as he scored with four seconds left on New Hampshire's first power play of the game.

Eric Esposito then scored at 9:15 in the period to give the home side a three-goal advantage as Vinal took over in net for the Bears.

Brown answered right back, however, as Cocca netted a power-play goal 42 seconds later for his third goal of the season. Zach Giuttari (Warwick, R.I.) blasted a slap shot from a point and Cocca tipped the puck into the back of the net just 12 seconds into the power play to put the visitors on the board. Brent Beaudoin (Londonderry, N.H.) also had an assist on the play.

New Hampshire added its fourth goal of the period at 17:49 when Grasso scored with one second left on the team's second power-play attempt.

The two teams traded one power play apiece in a scoreless middle frame. Vinal stopped all 17 shots he faced in the period.

Grasso scored his second goal of the game midway through the third period. Vinal made an initial save to deny Filip Engaras, but Grasso pushed a bouncing puck back at the net to stretch the New Hampshire lead to four goals and seal the win.

Justin Jallen (St. Paul, Minn.) paced the Bears with three shots.

Brown will visit Boston University on Wednesday night.

Video of all home contests and most ECAC games, home and away, will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Fans can subscribe and view games by purchasing a monthly package for $4.99 or a yearly package for $49.99.

Tickets for all Brown men's hockey games can be purchased online, by calling the Brown Athletics Ticket Office at (401) 863-2773, or by walking up to the box office located in the Pizzitola Sports Center, open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.