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NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. -- The No. 10 ranked UMass Lowell hockey team was defeated at No. 19 Merrimack, 2-1, on Friday night in Hockey East play at Lawler Arena.

With the loss, UMass Lowell fell to 15-8-3 overall (8-5-2 HEA), while Merrimack improved to 14-8-3 overall and 5-6-2 in league play.

Merrimack's Chris LeBlanc scored the first goal of the game at 15:37 of the opening period on a breakaway wrist shot that beat Kevin Boyle low glove side. UMass Lowell outshot Merrimack, 12-6, in the first frame.

The Warriors added to their lead at 2-0 with Marc Biega's third goal of the season at 13:42 of the middle frame.

Junior forward Adam Chapie (Oxford, Mich.) got the River Hawks on the board just 4:39 into the third period for his eighth goal of the season, cutting Merrimack's lead to one goal.

Boyle registered 15 saves in his 20th start of the season, while Rasmus Tirronen recorded a career-high 51 stops in his 10th win of the year for the Warriors. The 52 shots on goal for the River Hawks were a season-high, which included a 21-4 shot advantage in the third period.

UMass Lowell ended the game with a 6-on-4 advantage for the final 2:33 with a power play and Boyle out of the net, but couldn't muster the game-tying tally.

The River Hawks return to action in the series finale against Merrimack on Saturday, Jan. 31st. Game time from the Tsongas Center is 7 p.m. Tickets for all remaining home games are available through the Tsongas Center Box Office, online at TsongasCenter.com or by calling 866-722-8780.