Friars Rout Huskies 8-1 Behind Logan Sawyer’s Hat Trick in Dominant Response at UConn

By: J.J. Pavlick | Fairfield, CT | November 7, 2026 |

Providence erupts for four first-period goals, gets four points from Sawyer, and overwhelms No. 20 UConn to earn a weekend split with the Huskies.

Storrs, CT—The Providence Friars made sure there would be no repeat of Thursday night’s thriller.

After suffering a narrow 6-5 defeat in the opening game of the weekend series, No. 9/8 Providence returned to the ice Saturday with a response that left little doubt about which team was in control. The Friars erupted for four first-period goals, added another in the second, and scored three more in the third to dismantle No. 20 UConn, 8-1, at Toscano Family Ice Forum.

It was a complete turnaround from the previous meeting and a statement performance from a Providence team that showed just how dangerous it can be when its offense gets moving. The Friars received a career night from junior forward Logan Sawyer, who recorded his first collegiate hat trick and finished with four points. Jonathan Fauchon and Aleksi Kivioja each scored twice, while eight Providence players recorded multiple points.

For UConn, it was a difficult evening on home ice. The Huskies struggled to contain Providence’s attack from the opening faceoff, fell behind by four goals in the first period, and never found a way to generate the sustained response necessary to make the game competitive.

The result gave Providence a 6-2-0 overall record and a 3-1-0 mark in Hockey East. UConn fell to 4-5-1 overall and 2-3-1 in conference play.

Providence Delivers an Early Knockout

The Friars wasted no time establishing control in this affair and made sure the Huskies knew who the top ten team was in this matchup.

Just 1:13 into the opening period, Sawyer found a loose puck in the crease and put it past UConn goaltender Kam Hendrickson to give Providence a 1-0 lead. Freshman Everett Baldwin collected his first NCAA point with an assist, while Fauchon also picked up a helper.

The early goal set the tone for what would become a disastrous opening period for the Huskies. Providence continued attacking, taking advantage of defensive breakdowns and creating traffic around the UConn net.

At 4:17, Will Elger doubled the advantage with a backfooted one-timer from the point that beat Hendrickson. John Mustard and Andrew Centrella were credited with assists.

Before UConn could regroup, Sawyer struck again. At 4:54, he finished a rebound opportunity off a Tomas Machu attempt, extending the Providence lead to 3-0. Cade Christenson also assisted on the play.

The Friars were playing with speed and confidence, while the Huskies were struggling to slow the attack or establish any meaningful defensive rhythm.

Providence delivered another blow at 7:57. With the Friars shorthanded, Fauchon scored to make it 4-0. Christenson and Julius Sumpf assisted on the goal, giving Providence a shorthanded tally and an enormous advantage before the opening period was even halfway complete.

Four goals in the first 7:57 of the game put UConn in an immediate hole. The Huskies managed seven shots on goal during the period, but Providence goaltender Jack Parsons turned them all aside.

The first period also continued a remarkable trend for the Friars. Providence has been exceptionally productive early in games this season, and Saturday’s four-goal opening brought its first-period scoring total to 14 goals against just three allowed through its first eight games.

UConn needed an answer, but the challenge was already substantial.

Kivioja Extends the Lead as UConn Searches for Life

Providence picked up where it left off in the second period.

At 4:21, Aleksi Kivioja converted on the power play, beating the UConn defense to extend the Friars’ lead to 5-0. Machu and Beau Jelsma recorded the assists.

Despite the mounting deficit, UConn finally found a response midway through the period.

At 16:26, freshman Cole Davis collected the puck and fired a shot past Parsons, getting the Huskies on the scoreboard and making it 5-1. Carlin Dezainde and William McIsaac picked up the assists.

It was a positive moment for UConn, particularly for Davis, who gave the home side something to celebrate after a difficult opening 36 minutes. But the goal did little to change the overall direction of the game. Providence remained in control, and the four-goal margin carried into the final period.

Sawyer Completes the Hat Trick as Providence Keeps Scoring

Any hope of a UConn comeback quickly disappeared in the third.

At 3:52, Fauchon scored his second goal of the night, finishing a feed from Sawyer to push the Providence advantage to 6-1. The play gave Sawyer his fourth point of the game and demonstrated the offensive chemistry that had made the Friars so difficult to contain.

Then Came the Milestone Moment

At 7:31, Sawyer completed his first career hat trick with a power-play goal, firing a wrist shot over the shoulder of UConn goaltender Veeti Louhivaara from a difficult angle. Mustard and Centrella earned the assists.

The goal made it 7-1 and capped an outstanding individual performance for Sawyer, who finished with three goals and one assist. His four-point night was the centerpiece of a Providence attack that consistently found ways to create high-quality chances.

Kivioja added the final goal at 16:00, scoring his second of the evening off assists from Jelsma and Clint Levens. The goal brought the final score to 8-1 and completed one of Providence’s most productive offensive performances in recent seasons.

The eight goals were the most scored by the Friars since an 8-3 victory over Merrimack on January 13, 2023.

A Balanced Offensive Attack Overwhelms UConn

While Sawyer deservedly took the spotlight, Providence’s performance was about much more than one player.

Fauchon finished with two goals, including the shorthanded strike that helped put the game out of reach early. Kivioja also recorded two goals, while Machu, Jelsma, Christenson, Mustard, and Centrella each finished with multiple points. Clint Levens also factored into the box score with his late-game assist.

The Friars generated 39 shots on goal compared with 24 for UConn and controlled the faceoff circle, winning 38 of 65 draws. Their ability to sustain offensive pressure from different areas of the lineup made it impossible for the Huskies to find a way back into the contest.

Parsons was rock solid when called upon, finishing with 23 saves and allowing just one goal. On the other side, UConn utilized three goaltenders. Hendrickson stopped 10 shots and allowed four goals, Louhivaara made 20 saves while allowing four, and Ryan Sanborn stopped the only shot he faced after entering late.

Providence dominated special teams, converting twice on five power-play opportunities and adding a shorthanded goal. UConn went scoreless on four power plays. The Friars did not simply win the scoring battle; they dictated the pace, won important faceoffs, and capitalized on every mistake.

The Bigger Picture: A Weekend Split, but a Statement from Providence

The two-game series offered a reminder of how quickly momentum can change in college hockey.

UConn claimed Thursday’s opener by a 6-5 score, demonstrating its ability to compete with one of the nation’s top-ranked programs. Providence counter-punched Saturday with a performance that was nearly the opposite in every respect. Rather than letting Thursday’s close loss linger, the Friars rebounded with their most explosive offensive outing in nearly four years.

For UConn, the result will require an honest evaluation. Falling behind 4-0 in the opening period against a team with Providence’s offensive weapons is an impossible position from which to recover. The Huskies must tighten their defensive structure, manage the early minutes more effectively, and eliminate high-danger opportunities around their crease.

While there were scattered bright spots for the hosts—including Davis getting UConn on the board—the night completely belonged to the visitors.

Providence leaves Storrs with a crucial weekend split, a massive confidence-building victory, and a warning to the rest of the conference about the offensive potential within its lineup. Sawyer’s first career hat trick will headline the morning sports page, but the larger story was a relentless team-wide effort that produced scoring throughout the roster and pressure in every single period.

Final: No. 9/8 Providence 8, No. 20 UConn 1.