Watch | Listen | Stats | Notes
One game at a time, that's the mantra.
The 15
th ranked UMass Lowell (12-7-1/6-6-1) hockey team heads to Back Bay Boston, Saturday night (7:00pm) in search of its ninth consecutive win. The River Hawks face ninth ranked Boston University, (12-7-0/9-4-0), one of Hockey East's perennial power houses.
“We'll have energy and we'll go at them,” says Head Coach
Norm Bazin. “We'll make no excuses for the way we play. We'll enjoy it and we'll see if we can be aggressive.”
The River Hawks have been exactly that in recent weeks. Their eight wins in a row is the longest current winning streak in the nation. That streak has propelled UMass Lowell to the number 15 spot in the USA Today College Hockey Poll and the 18
th position in the USCHO poll. The team, after a slow start in league play has climbed into a fifth place tie, with Merrimack, in Hockey East.
Victory number eight in the streak came Thursday night against Providence College at the Tsongas Center. A 2-1 win that reflected the team's grit and poise. It was the fourth time this season the team has won a game when it scored two goals, something it did not do once during last year's 24 win season.
“You'd like to think it's maturing, learning from their earlier errors,” says Bazin. “They can play in tight games. The playoffs are all tight low scoring games and you have to be able to win those games. So it's a good sign for us.”
It's also a sign of leadership according to sophomore defenseman
Zack Kamrass (Atlanta Ga.)
“It's starts with leadership. We're pretty even keeled, we don't want to get too high or too low emotionally,” says Kamrass. We don't want to play 'not to lose.' We want to keep on attacking and playing our game.”
A key ingredient during the recent successes has been the offensive contributions from the defense corps. After totaling just 9 points during the team's first 13 games, the blue line corps has scored seven goals and added 18 assists during the last seven games.
“If you are working hard and working smart, that's when success comes,” says Kamrass. “We're finally executing our system. Offensively, defensively everybody is buying in, meshing… clicking. We're a well rounded team.”
The ten first year players on the River Hawk roster have also been key contributors. Freshman have accounted for nine goals and 25 points during the eight game span.
“All of the freshman have stepped up to the plate,” says freshman forward
Ryan McGrath (O'Fallon, Mo.) “It's a great honor to play with this group of guys we have in the locker room. Each time you get that opportunity to step on the ice and perform you've got to do it.”
McGrath had added four goals and ten points over the last eight games.
“(The freshman) are in the maturing process and the contributions have been many,” says Bazin. “It's got to continue if you are going to have success.”
Freshman goaltender
Connor Hellebuyck (Commerce, Mich.) sharing the net minding responsibilities with junior
Doug Carr (Hanover, Mass.) has been sharp. Hellebuyck has won his five starts, allowing just four goals while turning in two shutouts.
Carr has also won his three starts allowing just seven goals.
History has been on the Boston University side of the ledger. UMass Lowell took two of three a year ago, but the Terriers have dominated the all time series, 68-20-8. BU has won 36 of the 47 games played in Back Bay.
UMass Lowell will return home January 26 to host Northeastern University.
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.
