AMHERST – Survive and advance is the name of the game during playoff hockey and that’s exactly what the No. 14 UMass hockey team did in its 2-1 win against Vermont on Wednesday at the Mullins Center.

The Minutemen (20-12-5) scored two first-period goals one minute, 14 seconds apart, then hung on in periods two and three to claim the victory in the opening round of the Hockey East Playoffs.

UMass will play at No. 3 Boston University in the quarterfinal round on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

“Very much a playoff-style game,” UMass head coach Greg Carvel said. “We were a little slow off the start, they were much more urgent at the beginning of the game, but we had a nice stretch there about 10 minutes into the first period. Found a way to score two goals then it was a really, felt like an unusual game, just because there wasn’t a lot of offense either way.”

Sixth-seeded UMass was outshot by No. 11 UVM, 25-21, on Wednesday, including an 8-2 deficit in the third period alone. The Catamounts (11-21-3) needed to win on Wednesday to keep their season alive and gave a tired Minutemen squad everything they could handle.

“I thought they did a really good job,” Carvel said on UVM. “They really limited us. They did a good job shutting our cycle down. I thought we would do more tonight on entries and the cycle, but we did score one on the cycle. It just felt unusual because we usually create 20 scoring chances a game and we might’ve had 10 tonight. You feel like ‘jeez, we didn’t play well,’ but we won.”

UMass was missing a couple key pieces in junior defenseman Lucas Olvestad and freshman forward Daniel Jencko to injuries. However, goals from seniors Lucas Mercuri and Ryan Lautenbach — both playing their last career games at Mullins – proved to be just enough for the Minutemen to move on in the Hockey East playoffs.

“Obviously, couldn’t write the script any better,” Mercuri said. “[Lautenbach] and I, and [Linden Alger], put in four and five years here and obviously it was a little emotional. I thought everybody played well, but we tried our best to lead and leave it all out there at the last time at the Mully.”

Sophomore goalie Michael Hrabal extended his undefeated streak to seven games — a career long – in the 24-save performance on Wednesday. Hrabal looked sharp against the Catamounts despite making his third start in six days.

“I feel great,” Hrabal said. “It’s great to play games. I’m just excited for what’s coming on Saturday.”

Mercuri got the scoring started at 12:16 of the first period on a redirection in front of UVM goalie Keenan Rancier (19 saves). Junior Cole O’Hara flung a long-distance shot from the blue line on goal and Mercuri was one of a couple bodies in front. The puck hit the Carolina Hurricanes draft pick and caromed in to give UMass a 1-0 lead.

O’Hara’s helper pushed his point total to 50 only the season, one behind the all-time single season record.

The Minutemen doubled their lead to 2-0 on a nifty strike from Lautenbach 74 seconds later. The Brighton, Michigan native entered the UMass offensive zone with speed, skated right around the UVM defender, then held on to the puck past the outstretched Rancier’s glove, for the tally at 13:30 of the first.

“That goal by Lautenbach was desperation,” Carvel said. “That was a kid that this was his last game on this ice… Lautenbach and Mercuri and Alger, this being their last game, those kids gave a ton to this program, heart and soul kids. Lot of sweat and tears and blood that those kids have [given]. Lautenbach is a little banged up and he didn’t look like it when he was flying down the wing.”

Colin Kessler netted the Catamounts’ single strike about a minute after Lautenbach’s beauty. The UVM freshman took a pass from Jax Wismer from the point, cut right to the slot, then fired a wrist shot past Hrabal at 14:39 of the first.

Vermont then sent 18 of the game’s next 28 shots on goal in the final 40 minutes, but it was all for naught as UMass advanced to the quarterfinal round for a meeting with BU.

“ It’s just a special time of the year,” Carvel said. “I know everybody in our league makes the playoffs, but it’s playoffs and we earned home ice and it’s fun. You want the wins to be easy but they never are, but that’s what makes them special.”