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LOWELL, Mass. – Junior forward C.J. Smith (Des Moines, Iowa) recorded four points (1g, 3a) to pace the No. 6 ranked UMass Lowell Hockey team to a 5-2 victory at Massachusetts on Saturday night in Hockey East play at the Mullins Center.

"We are thrilled to get two points tonight, sweeping any team in Hockey East during the regular-season is very difficult," said Head Coach Norm Bazin.

Smith now has 10 points (2g,8a) in his last four games for the River Hawks.

With the win, the River Hawks up their record to 20-9-3 overall and 12-7-1 in league play. The Minutemen fall to 5-25-2 overall (2-17-1 HEA) with the loss. UMass
Lowell has now registered six straight 20-win seasons under Head Coach Norm Bazin, which is a new program record. They are one of only seven teams in Division I hockey to register 20 wins so far this season.

"That's not small feat, I am very proud of the kids in that locker room and the kids that came before them," Bazin commenting on a sixth straight 20-win season. "Hockey East is brutal, they are tough tough teams, to reach the 20-win for the sixth year in a row, I am very proud of the kids."

Junior forward John Edwardh (Calgary, Alta.) got the scoring going just 6:57 into the game for his 13^th marker of the season. Edwardh tallied a game-high five shots on goal for the River Hawks.

Sophomore forward Connor Wilson (Calgary, Alta.) and senior forward Joe Gambardella (Staten Island, N.Y.) tallied back-to-back goals in the middle stanza just 23 seconds apart to extend UMass Lowell's lead to 3-0. The River Hawks outshot the Minutemen 10-7 in the second period.

Smith added his 17^th goal of the season on the power play just 1:44 into the third period. Edwardh added his second of the night on the power play with 7:04 left in the game. Joseph Widmar and Steven Iacobellis added goals for the Minutemen in the last four minutes of the game to close out the scoring in the game.

Freshman goaltender Tyler Wall (Leamington, Ont.) made his 25^th start of the season, stopping 23 shots in his 19^th victory of the season. UMass goalie Ryan Wischow registered 19 saves for the Minutemen in the losing effort.

The River Hawks return to action on Thursday, February 23^rd at Boston College. Game time from Conte Forum is 7 p.m.