UMass Loses Four to COVID Before Frozen Four

 

The University of Massachusetts will be playing shorthanded on Thursday when the NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Frozen Four begins in Pittsburgh.

According to published reports, leading goal-scorer Carson Gicewicz, rookie goaltender Henry Graham, sophomore forward Jerry Harding, and starting netminder Filip Lindberg have all been ruled out of their national semifinal contest against Minnesota-Duluth due to contract tracing for COVID-19 before UMass (18-5-4 overall) left for Pennsylvania.

Gicewicz, a St. Lawrence transfer, leads the Minutemen with 17 goals so far this season, and ranks third on the squad with 24 points. Graham has yet to see action with the Minutemen while Harding, a Providence transfer, has two goals and six points to date. Lindberg has a record of 9-1-4 in 14 appearances this campaign, to go with a 1.33 goals-against average and four shutouts.

It is not known if the foursome would be available to play Saturday if UMass defeats UMD, in what is a rematch of the 2019 NCAA title game. The winner will move on to the national championship game against the winner of the early semifinal between Minnesota State and St. Cloud State.