Box Score  | Season Stats | Highlights

DURHAM, N.H. – Redshirt junior Clay Witt made 34 saves in goal, but Tyler Kelleher's tally early in the third period sent New Hampshire (20-16-1) to a 1-0 win against the No. 14 Northeastern men's ice hockey team (18-13-4) in Game One of the Hockey East quarterfinals on Friday night at the Whittemore Center.

UNH outshot NU 35-27 in the game while holding the Huskies to an 0-of-6 showing on the power play. The Wildcats, meanwhile, went 0-of-3 on the man advantage as each team won 35 face-offs.

The Wildcats dictated the tempo of the game in the first period, outshooting NU 14-8 and outskating the Huskies for much of the opening frame. Kevin Goumas had the first chance of the game for UNH five minutes in when he stationed himself at the far ready to accept a crossing pass, but Jarrett Fennell was there to break up the bid.

Matt Willows nearly put New Hampshire on top midway through the first when he took a feed at the left face-off dot and rifled a shot off the right post. UNH also had a pair of three-on-one chances during the period, including one with about six minutes left, but Torin Snydeman flew up the ice to help negate the scoring opportunity.

Northeastern's best chance of the period came on the power play in the final two minutes of the stanza when Desmith knocked down a shot from Colton Saucerman at the point and leaving a rebound for John Stevens, but the freshman center could not complete the play.

Both squads had their chances to draw first blood during a second period that saw UNH hold a slight 13-11 edge in shots, but both netminders were up to the task in the middle stanza. NU had five chances on the man advantage in the second, generating five shots on goal.

The Huskies almost got on the board in the final seconds of a power play when Zach Aston-Reese hit Mike Szmatula atop the crease for a shot that Desmith got a piece of. At the other end of the ice, a loose puck landed on the stick of Willows in the slot, but Witt came up with a huge save on a point blank shot from between the hashmarks.

During a five-on-four Husky power play nine minutes into the frame, Dalton Speelman broke away from the NU defense for a loose puck in the Northeastern zone, but Witt sprung out of his crease to poke the puck out of danger. Later in the period, Witt made his biggest save of the night when he stoned Collin Bourque on the doorstep when the UNH winger was left alone in front.

Kevin Roy tried to give the Huskies a 1-0 advantage late in the period when he wheeled along the right wall before sending a low shot through traffic that caught the pad of Desmith, but the Wildcats cleared before NU could hunt down the rebound.

UNH continued to generate odd-man rushes into the third period as the Wildcats had a two-on-zero chance early in the frame, but New Hampshire couldn't connect on the pass and Witt was able to clear the puck out of danger.

The Wildcats broke through with 15:11 left in regulation when Tyler Kelleher knocked home his fourth goal of the season when he pounded home a loose puck off a centering feed from Grayson Downing. UNH nearly went up two minutes later when Nick Sorkin's wrist shot caught the post off a face-off win.

Mike McMurtry and Dalen Hedges nearly connected midway through the third when McMurtry sent a shot on goal from a tough angle that Desmith got a piece, and Hedges crashed the net for a rebound chance that Desmith also handled.

Northeastern called timeout with 1:30 left in the third period, and pulled Witt in favor of the extra skater, but could not net the equalizer.

The teams will meet again tomorrow in Game Two of the series at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcasted live on WBIN.