AMHERST -- The No. 2 UMass hockey team withstood a third-period scare from No. 18 Yale in its 5-2 win Tuesday evening at Mullins Center.

Sophomore Jake Gaudet scored two goals--his first two of the season--and goalie Matt Murray moved to 11-0-0 with a 21-save outing in the Minutemen's (14-2-0) victory over the Bulldogs (7-3-2)

"We've finished off the first semester in a strong fashion," coach Greg Carvel said. "Again, i was nervous about Yale. I watched their previous three games and they've been playing extremely well. Very fast hockey team that combines physical presence and good goaltending, a lot like us, so I was concerned. I thought we played real well tonight."

The first line of Gaudet, Mitchell Chaffee and Oliver Chau each recorded goals, with that line contributing six points in total.

"I think we've had a really solid first half of the season," Gaudet said. "Last couple of games we've been all over the puck and just kind of missing close bounces, so tonight those bounces went our way. We put some pucks in the net."

Jacob Pritchard led the Minutemen with a trio of helpers.

"He's an elite offensive player," Carvel said of Pritchard. "When he said he was going to come here, I think only I knew how lucky we were to get him because I knew the kid from coaching him before. He's as good an offensive player as I've seen this year."

With the win, Murray became the first UMass goaltender to go unbeaten in the first half in the Division I era.

"It's something I'm pretty happy about," Murray said. "I feel like my level of play has been acceptable. I've had tremendous help from the guys in front of me, they've made my job very easy and that's led to our success as well."

Gaudet notched his first on a pretty passing play at 6:27 of the first. Ivan Chukarov hit Chaffee on the attacking blueline with a long stretch pass, then two drop passes later--Chaffee to Chau, and Chau to Gaudet--the puck was in the back of the net on Gaudet's wrister from the slot.

Chau's second of the year followed Ty Farmer's original shot and a Bobby Trivigno whack that found No. 20 alone on the right post and he gladly tapped it in to double the lead to 2-0 at 13:13 of the second period.

The Bulldogs scored two third period goals--one from Luke Stevens and the other on a whacky bounce off Robbie DeMontis--to tie the game 2-2 and slow UMass' momentum.

Just 54 seconds later, Gaudet potted his second of the night, finding the loose puck in Yale's crease and lifting it past Sam Tucker. The game-winner came 54 seconds after the Bulldogs' tying goal.

"Loved the response from my team when Yale tied it at two and then we just kind of found another gear and finished the game off in style," Carvel said."We got a great team."

"For sure, I think we had a really solid game up until that part," Gaudet added about his game-winner. "We kind of slipped a little bit to start the third but to get that third goal and to take the lead again was great for us."

Chaffee smashed home his team-leading 11th of the season on a see-through pass from Pritchard.

In the waning minutes of the third, Lagunov joined the fun with his fifth of the season on another sweet dish from Pritchard, bringing the final score to 5-2.

"They're a group that's completely to doing things the right way and its a real pleasure," Carvel said. "We combine skill, speed, grit, character, a lot of qualities that have gotten us to this point. So, great way to finish the semester. They now get a well-deserved break and we have to crank it back up and get back to this level when we get back in January."

The Minutemen are off until Jan. 4 when they host UMass Lowell at Mullins Center.