The UMass hockey team did all it could to climb out of another hole against UConn for the second night in a row, but the Minutemen dug this one a little too deep as they fell 3-2 in Hockey East action in Storrs, Conn. on Saturday night.

UMass dug deep over the final 25 minutes of action and worked its way back from down 3-0 thanks to goals late in both the second and third periods, but the comeback bid fell short.

Special teams was the difference in the game, as UMass went 1-for-5 on the power play and gave up a shorthanded goal in the first period. Although the Minutemen outshot the Huskies 11-5 in the opening frame, Jack Percival put UConn ahead 1-0 with a goal while down a man.

Percival found the back of the net one more time about midway through the second, as assists from Trey Scott and Hugh Larkin aided Percival in his second goal. A 5-on-5 goal from Joey Muldowney (Jake Richard assist) put UConn in commanding control, 3-0, with 4 minutes, 24 seconds remaining in period No. 2.

UMass finally kicked it into gear after that.

Linden Alger gave the Minutemen some momentum heading into the locker room with a goal just over a minute later to cut into the deficit. Dans Locmelis and Cole O’Hara (who continued his strong start to the season) dished out assists on the Alger tally.

It wasn’t until the five-minute mark that UMass found a score to make it a one-goal game. Jack Musa beat UConn goalie Tyler Muszelik (27 saves) on feeds from Locmelis and Aydar Suniev – who recorded the thrilling tying goal on Friday night in the final seconds of regulation. The Minutemen put seven more shots on goal (12-5) than the Huskies in the third period, but they couldn’t find an equalizer for the second straight night.

Michael Hrabal saved 24 shots on 27 attempts in the UMass loss. The Minutemen (3-2-1) stay in western Mass. for their next bout, a game with American International College next Saturday (Nov. 2) at the MassMutual Center in Springfield at 1 p.m.