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When Hopkins plays the Hoos, there are certain things you can count on. A raucous crowd, whether at Klockner or Homewood. Hard-hitting defense, countered by plenty of athleticism on offense. And usually a nip and tuck affair, with the Doyle Smith Cup on the line.
All three were in play Saturday night, with a Greg Coholan goal in overtime lifting the Cavaliers to an 11-10 victory. Coholan's game-winner was his third of the day to lead the Hoos in scoring. James Pannell, Mark Cockerton, and Ryan Lukacovic each added two more. The win brought the Doyle Smith Cup, awarded annually to the winner of the UVa-JHU rivalry, back to Charlottesville for the first time since 2010.
When Coholan scored with 1:09 left in the overtime period, it capped a 3-0 run from the Hoos that erased a 10-8 deficit in the fourth quarter. The faceoff problems that plagued Virginia (the Cavs were a combined 9/25 on draws) ended up not ruining the fine spring evening, as Nate Menninger won the overtime draw and maintained possession until Coholan put the biscuit in the basket.
Pannell, normally known for setting the tone on offense, nearly sparked a brawl toward the end of the first quarter. The attackman delivered a crushing blow to a Hopkins player that looked to knock the Blue Jay unconscious. Pannell served two minutes on an unreleasable penalty for an illegal body check and Hopkins capitalized with two goals to tie the game at 4 apiece.
Matt Barrett practically stood on his head between the pipes for Virginia, recording 16 saves including a number from point-blank range. His play in goal backstopped a Virginia defensive unit that caused 9 turnovers.
Tonight's win got Virginia back on the winning track and improved the season record to 7-2. With the next matchup being VMI on Monday night in Charlottesville, the Hoos should make it two wins in a row before returning to ACC play at Maryland on March 30.