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With great anticipation the 6^th ranked UMass Lowell hockey team hosts the University of Vermont to kick off the 2012-13 season Friday night at Tsongas Center at 7pm.
 
The ranking, 6^th according to the USCHO poll, is the highest achieved by the River Hawks before playing a single game.  The River Hawks were also picked to finish second in the Hockey East Coaches' Preseason Poll. The expectations are something Coach Norm Bazin would prefer to hear nothing about. 
 
“It's nice that people are excited about our hockey club,” said Bazin.  “But if the games were played on paper, we wouldn't have gone very far last year.”
 
Last year's club, coming off a five win season, went 24-13-1 including a trip to the NCAA tournament.
 
Bazin says he tries to ignore the publicity.  Speaking with the Lowell Sun's Chaz Scoggins, Bazin paraphrase famed UCLA basketball coach John Wooden saying, “publicity is a poison.  If you swallow it, it will kill you.”
 
UMass Lowell returns 18 players from last year's roster, including Captain Riley Wetmore (Swanton, Vt.,) Hockey East Rookie of the Year Scott Wilson (Oakville, Ont.) and Hockey East All Star goalie Doug Carr (Hanover, Mass.)  Eight of the team's top ten scorers are back.  Two of their three goaltenders have returned as well.  UMass Lowell also welcomes 11 new faces including nine freshmen. 
 
UMass Lowell has faced Vermont once before in a season opener.  That was in the 1979-80 season and the River Hawks were the Chiefs and defeated the Catamounts, 7-4.
 
Both teams won exhibition games last weekend.  UMass Lowell, buoyed by two goals from Joseph Pendenza (Wilmington, Mass.) defeated the University of Toronto, 5-2.  Vermont topped Concordia, 7-1, getting two goals apiece from H. T. Lentz and Robert Polesello.
 
History may be on the River Hawks side.  UMass Lowell holds the edge in the all time series, 15-14-5 and 8-5-1 at home.  UMass Lowell won two of the three meeting between the schools a year ago.
 
The Catamounts are coming off of a frustrating 6-27-1 season, but lost only two of their top dozen scorers.  The goaltending trio reflects a grand total of just four games college experience.
 
Bazin says he is more concerned about his own team than the opponent.  “If we don't play our game, play our system, then we are just standing around.  We want to be proactive and create energy for ourselves.”
 
It is a night that promises something for everyone.  Boston's Bucket Drummers will perform before the game. Fred C. Church Insurance sponsored schedule posters will be given to the first 500 fans entering the building.  The first 500 UMass Lowell students will receive replica jerseys courtesy of SBLI. SBLI is also sponsoring the raffling off of tickets to the New England Patriots/New York Jets football game.  Jeanne D'Arc Credit Union is sponsoring the raffling off of an iPad.
 
The evening will be topped off with an indoor fireworks display at the game's conclusion.
 
Tickets for all home games are available for public purchase. Game tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors (65+) and children (12 and under). As always, UMass Lowell students receive free admission by scanning their ID as part of the Mission: All In campaign.
 
Tickets can be purchased at the Tsongas Center Box Office, which is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. during the week. Fans can also purchase tickets online at TsongasCenter.com or by calling 866-722-8780.
 
Season tickets will continue to be on sale through the River Hawk Marketing office and can be purchased by calling 978-934-4988.
 
Following the season opener the River Hawks head out on the road.  UMass Lowell visits the University of Denver and Colorado College next weekend and will return home October 26 to host Boston College.