Box Score

Senior F Riley Wetmore (Swanton, Vt.) registered a hat trick and junior F Joe Pendenza (Wilmington, Mass.) scored two goals as UMass Lowell defeated UMass, 8-2, Sunday night in a Hockey East clash at the Mullins Center.

The victory halted a two-game slide for UMass Lowell, which improved to 3-5-1 overall and 2-4-1 in Hockey East entering Saturday's home game against Princeton (4:00).

UMass slipped to 3-5-0 overall and 2-5-0 in Hockey East and hosts Vermont Tuesday night.
Wetmore's hat trick is UMass Lowell's first since Dec. 5, 2009, when former standout David Vallorani ('12) scored three in a 5-3 victory over, ironically, UMass at the Tsongas Center on Dec. 5, 2009.

The last time UMass Lowell scored eight goals in a game was Jan. 25, 2011 in an 8-5 win over Bentley at the Tsongas Center. It was also the most goals scored against the Minutemen in the series between the two teams since a 9-3 win at home on Nov. 28, 1978.

UMass Lowell's output tied a UMass record for goals conceded at the Mullins Center (the River Hawks share the mark with Maine, which won 8-1 over the Minutemen on Feb. 15, 1997).

As UMass Lowell was searching for its first goal in more than 80 minutes, they came in all varieties Sunday night: six goals on even strength, one in a four-on-four, one shorthanded and one on a power play.

UMass Lowell snatched a 3-0 lead in the first period, then scored three goals in a 1:24 window midway through the second period. Wetmore's second goal started the flurry when finished a pass from junior Derek Arnold (Foxboro, Mass.) for a 4-0 lead.

Fifty-three seconds later, junior Shayne Thompson (Stittsville, Ont.) picked off a UMass defenseman and flicked to sophomore Scott Wilson (Oakville, Ont.) in front, who shoveled past sophomore G Steve Mastalerz.

Wetmore completed the hat trick just 31 seconds later off nice work from Wilson and freshman Michael Fallon (Glenview, Ill.).

As the River Hawks scored prolifically, they defended equally as well behind 24 saves from Carr and 13 blocked shots. Both of UMass' goals came on 5 on 3 situations.

Carr's shutout bid was spoiled 14:46 into the second, shortly after Wetmore was whistled for tripping and sophomore Zack Kamrass (Atlanta, Ga.) 11 seconds later for hooking. Junior F Michael Periera slotted past Carr from the left side of the cage off passes from junior D Conor Allen and junior F Conor Sheary.

Celebrations, however, were short-lived as Pendenza poke-checked away from a UMass defenseman at center ice, raced in alone on sophomore G Steve Mastalerz and backhanded home at 17:19.

Junior Josh Holmstrom (Colorado Springs, Colo.) capped the scoring 5:20 into the third period with help from Thompson.

As penalties mounted in the third period – four for each team – the Minutemen capitalized on a 5 on 3 at 10:12 with senior F Rocco Carzo the beneficiary.

In the first period, UMass Lowell attacked early and often and capitalized on its first power play opportunity with 8:16 gone.

Freshman D Dmitry Sinitsyn (Moscow, Russia) scored his first collegiate goal when he took a feed from sophomore Zack Kamrass (Atlanta, Ga.), broke through a pair of UMass defensemen and let fly from the top of the left circle.

Just 2:26 later, Wilson found space in the right corner and crossed to Wetmore in the slot who beat junior G Jeff Teglia with a one-timed shot.

Pendenza, stationed to the left of the goal, gave UMass Lowell a 3-0 cushion at 16:26 when he took a pass from freshman F Christian Folin (Gothenberg, Sweden) at the point which he one-timed past Teglia, who was then replaced by Mastalerz.

            UMass out shot UMass Lowell, 26-23.