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For River Hawk fans it's simple; this weekend is about first place in Hockey East.  Four teams are separated by two points and the number seven in the nation UMass Lowell hockey team sits atop the pile.
 
For the River Hawks (21-9-2 / 15-8-2, 32 points), in control of their own destiny, the story is different.  It's about getting better, and playing their best hockey at the most important time of the year.
 
The two, finishing first and playing their best hockey, are not mutually exclusive, but no one in the locker room mentions the standings.
 
“We haven't looked at the standings all year,” says UMass Lowell Hockey Coach Norm Bazin.  “We're not going to start now; we want to head into the playoffs playing good tough competitive hockey and we feel we can do that.”
 
In the 28 previous Hockey East seasons only four teams, Boston College, Boston University, Maine and New Hampshire have ever claimed the top spot at the end of the regular season.  UMass Lowell can become the fifth team to grab that exalted position.
 
The players aren't thinking about and of that. 
 
“”We learned that the hared way at the start of the season,” says sophomore defenseman Jake Suter (Lac du Flambeau, Wisc.)  “We looked at everything that had been written about us and we had a slow start.  You have to focus on the next game, that's the attitude of this team”
 
“We don't think about (the standings,)” adds junior forward Josh Holmstrom (Colorado Springs, Colo.) “We play loose and have some fun.  We take it game-by-game or period-by-period.”
 
Various combinations of results can give the River Hawks the top spot, but a weekend sweep of 18^th ranked Providence College (14-11-7 / 12-7-6, 30 points) would mean UMass Lowell would not have to rely on help from anyone else.  That is a difficult assignment; the Friars have only lost once in their last nine games (4-1-4).
 
“This is going to be an enormous challenge against a team that is very hot,” says Bazin.  “They're much like ourselves and they've had a good second half.  They're playing, if not their best hockey, close to that.”
 
The two teams meet Friday night at the Tsongas Center and then wrap up the regular season Saturday in Providence.  Both games are 7:00pm starts.
 
The River Hawks come off a weekend sweep of, at the time 17^th ranked, Merrimack College, 4-0 and 3-1, that moved the team from fifth to first in the league. 
 
“We feel we are getting better,” says Bazin always looking for improvement.  “The power play got better the second night. I thought the penalty kill was good all weekend.  I felt we adjusted well to the different things they did and I was happy with the work ethic.”
 
But the coach still feel there is room for improvement. 
 
“You can always play a little bit better,” says Bazin.  “As a coach, you're never quite happy.  There are some areas we want to sure up for this weekend.”
 
The weekend sweep extended UMass Lowell's winning streak to, a nation's current best, seven.  It is the first time in the club's Division I history that is has had two winning streaks of more than six games in a single season.  Earlier in the year the River Hawks won nine in a row.
 
Since December 8^th UMass Lowell is 17-2-1.
 
The wins put UMass Lowell in the number seven slot in both the USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls and guaranteed the River Hawks home ice in the quarterfinal round of the Hockey East playoffs.  Providence is ranked 18^th in the USCHO poll.
 
Providence split last weekend's games against Boston College winning 5-1 on Saturday night after falling 3-2 on Friday.  The Friars showed explosiveness in the win, scoring four goals in a 3:58 span early in the third period.
 
History suggests this weekend will be a battle.  Providence leads the all time series 49-43-11 and at the Schneider Arena 25-22-4.  UMass Lowell has a slight edge at the Tsongas Center, 12-11-2. 
 
The combatants met earlier this season, in mid January in Lowell, the River Hawks winning, 2-1, in a game that was scoreless after 40 minutes.
 
For fans it's about first place and playoff positioning.  For players like Holmstrom it's about “Lowell Hockey.”
 
“At Lowell, we want to be hard working, tenacious and possess the puck,” says Holmstrom.  “Everybody in the locker room buys into it.  That's where our success comes from.”
 
After this weekend's battle the standings will be sorted out, the playoff match ups will be known.  Many of the questions will be answered, and there will be new questions.
 
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.