Jan. 9, 2010

Box Score

Audio Recap - The River Hawk Report - Weekend Review

Scheu and MacDonald Postgame Audio

Michael Scheu (Buffalo, NY) tipped in a game-winning overtime goal with 25 seconds left to propel the #14 River Hawks (12-7-2, 6-4-2 HE) to a 6-5 OT victory over Northeastern on Saturday night. After scoring three goals in their last two games combined, UMass Lowell scored six goals, including three in the first period. The dramatic win, broadcast live on NESN, capped a three-point Hockey East weekend for UMass Lowell after skating to a 2-2 tie with New Hampshire on Friday.

The River Hawks opened the game in a big way as Chris Auger (Belleville, Ont.) scored only 1:17 after the puck drop. As the pass came around the back of UMass Lowell's net, Nick Schaus (Buffalo, NY) shifted it up to Scott Campbell (Navan, Ont.) near the blue line. Campbell sent the puck into neutral ice along the boards and Scheu tipped it to Auger, who carried to the Northeastern net front. Auger brought the puck to Chris Rawlings' (North Delta, B.C.) right, but put the shot top-shelf left for the score. Auger's fifth goal of the season gave the River Hawks an early 1-0 lead.

UMass Lowell extended the lead with another score, 7:53 into the first period. The Huskies carried the puck out of their own zone, but were cutoff by Ben Holmstrom (Colorado Springs, CO) who sent it to Kory Falite (Billerica, MA) along the far boards. Falite collected the puck and turned for a quick shot that was redirected by Paul Worthington (Langhorne, PA) and into the net. The score, Worthington's ninth of the season, increased the River Hawks' lead to 2-0.

The goals continued in the first as Jeremy Dehner (Madison, WI) put UMass Lowell up 3-0 with 8:40 still remaining in the period. Maury Edwards (Rocky Rapids, Alta.) sent it back to Worthington in the River Hawk zone, Worthington then fed the puck to Dehner near the UMass Lowell bench. The senior defenseman carried it into Huskies territory, taking a shot at the near post. Dehner collected his own rebound and wrapped around the other side for a wide-open net, burying his third goal of the season.

Northeastern eventually put an end to the avalanche of River Hawk goals, scoring one of its own with 4:37 left in the first. Kyle Kraemer (St. Louis, MO) caught a pass just a few feet in front of the net from Tyler McNeely (Burnaby, B.C.) and was able to tuck the puck under Carter Hutton's (Thunder Bay, Ont.) pads for the score. Kraemer's seventh goal of the year cut UMass Lowell's lead to 3-1 and capped off a high-scoring first stanza.

The River Hawks were undaunted by the Huskies' goal, responding with their fourth score of the game at 7:47 into the second period. Off of the face-off, Falite tipped the puck back to Schaus at the blue line for a shot. Campbell cut off the attempt and scored with a fantastic look only a few feet from the net.

The Huskies brought the game back within striking distance at the start of the third period. Robbie Vrolyk (Boylston, MA) broke free up ice on a River Hawk power play and hit Jake Newton (San Jacinto, CA) with a pass just in front of Hutton, Newton's shot found daylight and the shorthanded goal cut the UMass Lowell lead to 4-2 only 55 seconds into the third.

The comeback appeared short-lived as Scheu answered back with the fifth River Hawk goal, a power play score less than a minute after Northeastern's goal. Auger dished the puck into the corner for David Vallorani (Hamilton, Ont.), who skated to the near post. Vallorani faked the defense and sent the puck across the crease to Scheu on the weak-side for an easy score, resuming UMass Lowell's three-goal lead.

The Huskies refused to quit, slicing the lead once again after several penalties landed Northeastern an extended five-on-three power play. Garrett Vermeersch (Macomb, MI) set up Kraemer with a touch pass at the top of the far circle and the senior forward buried the shot to bring the Huskies back within two.

Northeastern shaved the gap to one on another score with 5:11 left in the third period. Jim Driscoll (Dedham, MA) connected on a weak-side rebound after McNeely's shot was saved by Hutton.

The Huskies completed the comeback, tying the game at 5-5 only 48 seconds later. A Steve Capraro (Medford, MA) tripping call gave Northeastern its eighth power play of the night and Wade MacLeod (Coquitlam, B.C.) capitalized in a big way. MacLeod sniped a shot from the middle of the far circle after collecting a pass from Newton and Vermeersch.

In a highly contested overtime, Scheu played the hero with a dramatic sliding tip in with only 25 seconds remaining in the extra frame. Campbell pushed the puck to Falite as he crossed into the Northeastern zone. Falite skated wide and dished the puck towards Scheu who connected to knock the puck top shelf as he fell. The game-winning goal, the first of his career, was Scheu's fifth score of the season. Hutton picked up the win in net, stopping 30-of-35 shots and improving his record to 7-5-0 on the season. Northeastern's Rawlings made only 25 saves in the losing effort, falling to 7-8-1 in 2009-10.

UMass Lowell finished the night one-for-four on the power play, while killing six of the Huskies' eight power play chances.

The River Hawks will look to carry the momentum into next weekend's home-and-home set with rival UMass Amherst. Friday night's the game will be played at the Mullins Center, before returning to the Tsongas Arena on Saturday for the River Hawks' first home game of 2010.