Dec. 12, 2008

BOSTON - Chris Higgins (Lynnfield, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal as No. 4 Boston University defeated UMass Lowell, 3-2, Friday night in Hockey East action at the Agganis Arena.

The Terriers are unbeaten in their last four (3-0-1) and improve to 11-4-1 overall and 6-4-1 in Hockey East play. The River Hawks have dropped three straight and fall to 8-8-0 overall and 5-6-0 in league play.

Higgins broke a 2-2 tie at 7:38 of the third period on BU's sixth power play of the night. Colin Wilson (Winnipeg, Man.) and Kevin Shattenkirk (New Rochelle, N.Y.) assisted on the goal.

David Vallorani (Hamilton, Ont.) gave the River Hawks a 1-0 lead at 1:04 of the first period with goal from Michael Budd (Burlington, Ont.). Vallorani collected a loose puck in the slot and beat BU goaltender Kieran Millan (Edmonton, Atla.) with a wrist shot that deflected off a defenseman's stick.

Joe Pereira scored the equalizer for BU at 19:03 of the first with is first goal of the season. David Warsofsky (Marshfield, Mass.) and Kevin Shattenkirk (New Rochelle, N.Y.) picked up the assists.

Maury Edwards (Rocky Rapids, Atla.) scored his fifth of the year at 14:17 of the second period to put Lowell up by a goal once again. Scott Campbell (Navan, Ont.) and Kory Falite (Billerica, Mass.) assisted on the play.

Zach Cohen (Schaumburg, Ill.) tied the game just one minute and 24 seconds later. Pereira and Luke Popko (Skillman, N.J.) earned the assists at 15:41.

Nevin Hamilton (Ashland, Mass.) left the game with an injury at 17:23 of the second period. Carter Hutton (Thunder Bay, Ont.), who hadn't played since November 7 because of injury, entered the game after the Hamilton injury. Hutton gave up a goal on 11 shots and took the loss.

Kieran Millan (Edmonton, Alta.) got the win in goal for BU. He stopped 22 of 24 shots faced. Millan is 8-1-1 on the year.

The Terriers were 1-for-4 on the power play. The River Hawks were 0-for-6 on the man-advantage.

BU out-shot UML 38 to 24 in the game, including recording 14 shots in each the first and second periods.

The River Hawks are next in action January 2 when they travel to Chicago to play Minnesota Duluth in the first round of the Shillelagh Tournament. The Terriers next play January 2 to take on Rensselaer in the Wells Fargo Denver Cup.