UConn Huskies men's hockey team plays Providence in home-and-home series

The Ice Bus Hits the Road for a Home-and-Home Against Providence

After a split weekend against Merrimack, the UConn Huskies men’s hockey team, known affectionately as the Ice Bus, is hitting the road for a crucial home-and-home series against the Providence College Friars. The matchup pits two NCAA tournament teams against each other, with both squads looking to build momentum as the season progresses. The Daily Campus reported that UConn only managed one point in the series against Merrimack, losing 5-4 on Friday before winning a shootout on Saturday.

This weekend’s games carry significant weight in the Hockey East standings. Providence, ranked No. 12 in the nation, enters the series with a 5-1 overall record and a perfect 2-0 mark in conference play. The Friars swept the University of Massachusetts Lowell and are coming off their only loss of the season, a tough game against the always formidable Quinnipiac.

LIVE: UConn vs. Providence | Men's College Hockey – 11/05/2026

A Tale of Two Goaltenders for the Huskies

One of the most compelling storylines for UConn this season has been the goaltending situation. Kam Hendrickson and Veeti Louhivaara have split time in net through eight games, and the results have been telling. The Huskies are a perfect 3-1 when Hendrickson is in goal, but they are 0-3-1 when Louhivaara starts. Despite the loss last week, Hendrickson has been a workhorse, tallying 142 saves on the season. His performance will be critical against a Providence offense that has outscored opponents 22-11, an average of over three goals per game.

Offensively, the Huskies are looking to junior forward Joey Muldowney to continue his hot streak. After a slow start to the season, Muldowney has found his groove, scoring the overtime game-winner against Boston University and putting up two goals and three assists against Merrimack. He is quickly becoming the driving force in head coach Mike Cavanaugh’s offense. Two other skaters to watch are Kaden Shahan and Jeremy Loranger. Shahan cooled off against Merrimack but had scored in all three of his previous games. Loranger, a transfer from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, has made an instant impact, notching his first goal against BU and adding three points against Merrimack. UConn head coach Mike Cavanaugh said that Muldowney is a driving force in his offense.

Lowell massachusetts head coach mike cavanaugh of the uconn huskies stands behind the bench

Providence’s Offensive Powerhouse

On the other side, the Providence offense is firing on all cylinders. Junior forwards Jonathon Fauchon and Ryder Cali lead the team with four goals each, while Logan Sawyer and Julius Sumpf are setting up their teammates with seven assists apiece. The Friars are led by sophomore goalie Jack Parsons, who boasts a 4-1 record with two shutouts. However, Parsons has allowed three power-play goals this season, a statistic the Huskies will look to exploit on the man advantage.

The history between these two teams adds another layer of intrigue. UConn holds a slight edge in the all-time series at 7-17-6, but the Huskies went 0-2-1 against the Friars last season, including a shootout loss.

UConn vs Providence | NCAA College Hockey Highlights | November 5, 2026

Making the NCAA tournament has become the standard for both UConn and Providence in recent years. Last season, the Friars went 23-11-2 before falling to Quinnipiac in the opening round of the tournament.

The puck drops on Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Providence’s Schneider Arena, with the second game set for Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Toscano Family Ice Forum in Storrs. Fans can catch all the action on ESPN+, making it easy for supporters to follow the Ice Bus on the road and at home.