Jason Walker, University of Montana Sports Information
MISSOULA, Mont. - After just nine practices, the University of Providence Argos hit the ice Friday night under new coach Tommaso DeAngelis with a renewed sense of vigor and despite scoring the first Argo goal since last March, Providence came up just short in a 5-3 loss to the University of Montana Friday night in ACHA play from Missoula.
Jakob Stevenson found the back of the net less than four minutes into the game to give the Argos a short-lived 1-0 lead, but the Griz answered back less than a minute later as Owen Lee knotted things up with a shot past Tristan Lewis. Lee would score later in the period to give UM a 2-1 intermission lead.
Montana would increase the pressure and power plays took their toll in the second period as the Griz would increase their lead to 4-2 heading into the final period. Liam Carvalho scored his first of the season in the second.
Cooper Page would pull the Argos to within 4-3 with just over 12 minutes remaining but the Grizzlies 4th power play goal would result in the insurance goal to lift Montana to an 11th-straight victory and third is as many days at the Glacier Ice Arena.
Providence was not even sure if they would have a hockey season until DeAngelis was hired in November of 2022 and quickly put together a roster of 14 players to compete in a minimal schedule in the final couple of months of 2023 to make sure the Argos keep their ACHA standing.
DeAngelis says despite the loss, the team played excellent and will have to clean up the penalties, "We had 30 minutes in penalties, half the game. We lost Jakob (Stevenson) to injury, so we had 13 guys versus their full squad of 21. We lost but had a ton of opportunities to tie the game and (Tristan) Lewis made a ton of huge saves.
"It was a great game, and I am very proud of the guys. They fought to the end."
The Griz improve to 20-4 on the season while Providence drops to 0-1. The two teams will battle again Saturday in Missoula. The puck drops at 8 p.m. and can be watched live through the hockey schedule page at www.upargos.com.
