Friday, October 26th vs. Northeastern (7:15 p.m.)
CARTER HUTTON SHIRSEYÂ GIVEAWAY (Sponsored by DCU; First 1,000 fans)
(Tsongas Center; Lowell, Mass.)
Watch Live ($)Â |
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Game Notes (PDF)Â |
90 Seconds with Norm
Follow on Twitter: @RiverHawkNation @RiverHawkHockey Â
Commercial Radio:
River Hawk Network: 980AMÂ WCAP (JIP)/UMass Lowell Game Day App
Talent:
Bob Ellis (Play by Play)
Non-Commercial Radio: WUMLÂ 91.5 FM
Talent: Connor Capozzi (Play by Play); Brianne Dillon (Analyst)
Saturday, October 27th at Bentley (7 p.m.)
(Bentley Arena; Waltham, Mass.)
Watch Live ($)Â |
Listen Live |
Live Stats |
Tickets
Follow on Twitter: @RiverHawkNation @RiverHawkHockey Â
Commercial Radio:
River Hawk Network: 980AMÂ WCAP/UMass Lowell Game Day App
Talent:
Bob Ellis (Play by Play)
Non-Commercial Radio: WUMLÂ 91.5 FM
Talent: Connor Capozzi (Play by Play); Brianne Dillon (Analyst)
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SCOUTING THE RIVER HAWKS: UMass Lowell coming off of a 17-19-0/11-13-0 season is 2-2-0 after a split last weekend at Miami. The River Hawks were picked for seventh place finish by Hockey East Coaches and was placed sixth in the Media Poll. Connor Wilson leads the team in scoring with three-goals and five-points through four games. Tyler Wall has won two of his three starts and has a 1.00 goals against average. Ryan Lohin is the team's top returning scorer after putting up 25-points (9g, 16a) a year ago.
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES:  Northeastern, like UMass Lowell, is 2-2-0 after dropping a pair of games last weekend against Union. The Huskies were picked for a fourth place finish in both the Hockey East Coaches' and Media Pre-Season Polls. Northeastern was 23-10-5 a year ago. Freshman Tyler Madden leads the team with three-goals. Senior Liam Pecararo tops the points chart with six. Cayden Primeau has started the club's four games and has a 2.26 goals against average and a .920 save percentage.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. NORTHEASTERN: This is the 118th meeting between the two schools in a series that dates back to 1983. UMass Lowell leads the series 61-46-10, but the more recent meetings show Northeastern with a slight edge. The last ten meetings show the two teams at 4-4-2, but Northeastern has a 3-2-0 edge in the last five. The Huskies took two of three last year. The two met in the 2016 Hockey East Championship Game. Northeastern won that match up, 3-2, but UMass Lowell does hold an edge in HEA Tournament play 10-5-0. The two teams met in one of the first NCAA regular season games played outside the United States. UML won that match up in the opening game of the Friendship Four Tournament in Belfast, Northern Ireland in November of 2015.Â
BAZIN VS. MADIGAN: Both coaches, Norm Bazin and NU's Jim Madigan came on board for the 2011-12 season and since that time the two teams have shown a nearly even split in the series. The River Hawks hold an 8-7-3 edge. Madigan has a 122-108-32 record since taking over the reins at Northeastern, Bazin is 170-89-21 at UMass Lowell during that period of time.
LAST YEAR VERSUS NORTHEASTERN: Northeastern took two of the three games between the two teams a year ago. The Huskies won the first two meetings, 3-1 and 5-4 in overtime, while the River Hawks won the final encounter, 4-2. Northeastern was led by the now departed Adam Gaudette who scored four times in the first two games. UMass Lowell rode a three-goal third period to its only win against Northeastern during the 2017-18 campaign.
BONUS HOCKEY?: When UMass Lowell and Northeastern meet 60-minutes is often not enough time to decide matters. Sixteen of the last 46 games between the two teams have gone to overtime. UMass Lowell holds 7-3-6 edge in those OT games, and 10-4-10 overtime advantage all-time in long history between the two. More recently eight of the last 19 games have required extra time with the River Hawks holding a 3-2-3 edge.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: UMass Lowell and Northeastern have faced one another on eight different ice surfaces. The two have battled at the Tsongas Center, Matthews Arena, Tully Forum (Billerica, Mass.), Fenway Park, Thompson Arena (Hanover, N.H.), Boston Garden, TD Garden and the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2015.
HOME SWEET HOME: UMass Lowell is 83-36-12 (a .679 winning percentage) at the Tsongas Center since Norm Bazin took over behind the bench for the 2011-12 season. In 2017-18 the River Hawks were 10-8-0 on home ice. They are 1-1-0 this season. The last time the River Hawks had a losing record at home was 2010-11 when the home team went 4-12-0.
WHAT ARE WE GIVING AWAY TONIGHT: The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a Carter Hutton Shirsey T-Shirt, the first of four Alumni T-Shirt giveaway this season, courtesy of DCU. Hutton tended the River Hawks nets from 2006 through 2010. He finished his River Hawk career with a 2.33 goals against average and a .912 save percentage. Hutton currently protects the net for the Buffalo Sabres.
HOCKEY EAST OPENERS: UMass Lowell is 16-13-5 in Hockey East openers and 14-16-4 in Hockey East home openers. The River Hawks are 2-3-1 in Hockey East openers against Northeastern and 2-3-0 against Northeastern when the conference opener is played in Lowell and 2-1-0 in such cases at the Tsongas Center.
SEASON AND HOME OPENERS: With a 2-1 win against R I T on October 12th, UMass Lowell is 27-20-5, all-time, in season openers and 3-1-1 in the last five. The River Hawks are 30-18-4 in home openers but are an even .500 when they open the season at home, 10-10-3.
OPENING NIGHT CROWDS: 5,673 people turned out for last night's home opener. It was the 11th consecutive opening night crowd of more than 5,000-people. The streak started with a crowd of 6,193 to see UMass Lowell beat Providence, 4-1, at the Tsongas Center in 2008. During the 11-year streak opening night crowds have averaged 5,886. The last sub 5,000 opening night crowd was in 2007 when the River Hawks opened against Alabama-Huntsville.
THE CENTURY CLUB: Senior forward Ryan Dmowski will become the newest member of the Century Club playing in his 100th game when he steps on the ice this evening. Dmowski will join Nick Master (116) and Connor Wilson (102) as the only UMass Lowell players on the roster with at least 100 games played. Next on the list is Ryan Lohin with 81 games played. A year ago UMass Lowell had six players on the roster with more than 100 games played in their collegiate careers.Â
ABOUT LAST WEEKEND: UMass Lowell and Miami split a pair of games. The River Hawks scored single goals in each period, Friday, en route to a 3-0 win at the Goggin Ice Center. Sam Knoblauch led the scoring with a goal, on the power play, and an assist. Tyler Wall picked up his fourth career shutout making 36 saves. Saturday night was a bit different; Miami scored two third period goals to grab a 2-1 win.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES: UMass Lowell forward Connor Wilson leads the team with three-goals and five-points in four games. A year ago Wilson had just one-goal four games into the season. He did not get his third goal or fifth point until the 14th game of the season.
WALLING OFF THE NETS: UMass Lowell goalie Tyler Wall made 36 saves in turning in his fourth career shutout last Friday night against Miami. The 36 saves were the third most Wall has made in a game and the most he's recorded in a shutout. Wall had 40 saves in a tie against Minnesota Duluth on October 8, 2016 and 38 in a victory against Boston College in the Hockey East Championship Game, March 18, 2017. The performance was his seventh 30-plus save game of his career.
THE WALL WALL:  When Miami scored a goal at 1:05 of the third period last Saturday night it ended a shutout streak of 122:24 for UMass Lowell goalie Tyler Wall. The streak which included a 36-save 3-0 shutout of Miami the night before was the longest of Wall's career.
A WIN ON THE WALL:  UMass Lowell goalie Tyler Wall made 25 saves to pick up the win October 12. It was his first win since January 26, 2018 when he beat Boston College, 3-2; a period of 259 days between victories. Wall won just three games a year ago after winning 26 as a freshman. He has won two of his three starts this season.
NON-CONFERENCE, NO PROBLEM: UMass Lowell has more than held its own in non-conference play over the last seven-plus years. UMass Lowell is 79-29-6 (.719) in non-conference games since the 2011-12 season. The River Hawks were 6-4-0 playing out of conference during the 2017-18 season and are 2-2-0 this year.
BY THE CLOSEST OF MARGINS: UMass Lowell is 52-39-21, .558, in one-goal games since the 2011-12 season. The team is 1-2-0 this year in one-goal games. The River Hawks played 12 one-goal games a year ago. The results were split down the middle 6-6-0.Â
BONUS TIME - NO BONUS: Overtime has not been kind to UMass Lowell over the last two-plus seasons. The River Hawks are 1-7-3 in their last 11 overtime games dating back to the start of the 2016-17 season. The one win came on a Connor Wilson goal, Jan. 19th, at Vermont. The last OT win before Wilson's goal came on March 26, 2016 when the River Hawks defeated Yale, 3-2, in the NCAA Regional.
DOWN BUT NOT OUT:  UMass Lowell's 2-1 come-from-behind win on October 12th was the first time they had won a game in which they had trailed after two-periods since beating Vermont 3-2, in overtime, on January 19, 2018. The River Hawks were 3-14-0 last year in games in which they trailed after two-periods.
WHEN TWO IS ENOUGH:  UMass Lowell scored just two-goals but won the hockey game, October 12th. That is something the River Hawks had not done recently and rarely did a year ago. Their last win when scoring two or fewer goals came on November 18, 2017 when they beat UConn, 1-0. UMass Lowell was 2-14-0 when scoring two or fewer goals a year ago.Â
ON THE ROAD: UMass Lowell is 86-53-9, a .612 winning percentage when playing away from the Tsongas Center in the seven-plus years that Norm Bazin has led the program. That .612 winning percentage is the third best in the nation during that period.   The River Hawks are 62-42-8, .589, as the road team and 24-11-1, .681, in games played at a neutral site.
THE ROAD OPENER: Last Friday night was UMass Lowell's 52nd road opener. With the 3-0 win at Miami the River Hawks are now 23-24-5 in their first road game of the year. It was the first time UMass Lowell has faced Miami in an opener.
52nd SEASON OF UMASS LOWELL HOCKEY: This is the 52nd season of hockey at UMass Lowell. The program began at Lowell Tech with the 1967-68 season. That first team went 7-7-1. After winning three Division II National Championships the program moved to Division I as an Independent for the 1983-84 season and joined Hockey East for its inaugural season of 1984-85. The River Hawks are 868-722-116 all time with a winning percentage of .543 and 608-602-109 record (.502) as a Division I program.
WHO'S NEXT: The River Hawks face two different opponents this weekend. After Friday night's battle with Northeastern UMass Lowell travels, Saturday, to Waltham, Mass. for a meeting with Bentley. The River Hawks have the all-time edge against Bentley, 5-1-0, but dropped a 3-2 decision in overtime a year ago.
NEXT WEEKEND: Next weekend the River Hawks climb on the bus and head to Orono, Maine for a pair of games with the Black Bears. Maine holds an 80-38-6 edge in the all-time series, but UMass Lowell is 8-3-1 in the last dozen meetings. The two teams split a pair of games a year ago.
BACK-TO-BACK: This is the third of 15 "back-to-back" series that UMass Lowell will play this year. A week ago the River Hawks split a pair of games with Miami, winning on Friday night, 3-0, but coming up short, 2-1, on Saturday. The River Hawks played back-to-back games on 17 weekends during the 2017-18 season. UML had four sweeps to its credit, eight splits and also were swept five times. UML was 10-7-0 on the first night, 5-12-0 on the second. In 2016-17 the River Hawks were 11-6-1/11-5-2. UMass Lowell authored seven sweeps and were swept just twice.
PROTECTING THE LEAD: Since Norm Bazin took over the coaching reins at UMass Lowell, the River Hawks are 128-8-9 when leading after two-periods. They are also 30-20-9 when the score is tied after two periods. The River Hawks were 12-2-0 when leading after two periods during the 2017-18 season and were 22-1-2 when leading after two periods two years ago.
THREE IS THE MAGIC NUMBER: When UMass Lowell scores three or more goals in a game it is 143-22-6, .854 during the last seven-plus years. The River Hawks were 15-4-0, last season, and were 25-3-1 two years ago. When scoring two goals or less in a game the River Hawks are 26-66-15, .313, since 2011-12.
NOT FIT TO BE TIED:  UMass Lowell was the only team in the country without a tie during the 2017-18 season. It was only the second time in their 35-year Division I history that the team has completed a full season without at least one tie. It has been 65 games since UML and UConn battled to a 2-2 tie on December 3, 2016. Only once before have the River Hawks played a full season without a tie. That was 1998-99 when the River Hawks went 17-17-0. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, as a Division II program, ULowell went more than five seasons, 177 games, without a tie.
THE FINAL THIRD: Four games into a new season and the River Hawks have outscored their opponents five-goals to two in the third period of play. That continues a trend started a year ago. UMass Lowell outscored opponents by 15-goals in the third period during the 2017-18 season. That was the sixth highest goal differential in the country.
THE 19th MAN: College hockey teams will be allowed to dress one additional skater this season; 19 skaters instead of 18. The NCAA made the change citing a desire to give more student-athletes a playing opportunity. UMass Lowell used the rule change to dress a seventh defenseman on the season's two Fridays, but has added a 13th forward on the Saturdays.
NEW PLAYOFF HOCKEY EAST FORMAT: For the first time since the 2012-13 season just eight of the league's 11 teams will qualify for the Hockey East Tournament. During the last five years the conference had used a playoff format which included all of the league's teams.Â
THE LEADERSHIP: Forwards Ryan Lohin and Connor Wilson will serve as co-captains for the River Hawks this season. Lohin, a junior, led the team in scoring a year ago with nine-goals and 25-points. Wilson, a senior, is coming off his best offensive season with eight-goals and 16-points. Junior defenseman Mattias Göransson will serve as the alternate captain. With nine-goals and 36 career points, Göransson is the highest scoring defenseman on the roster.
RETURNING OFFENSE: UMass Lowell returns 64.3% of its offense including its top three scorers from a year ago. Ryan Lohin led the team with nine-goals and 25-points. Ryan Dmowski led the team in goals with 11 and was second in points with 22. Kenny Hausinger was second in goals with ten and third with 20-points.
Mr. ZERO: UMass Lowell goalie Christoffer Hernberg had five shutouts during the 2017-18 season. That is the third most in a single season by a River Hawk goalie and was just two shy of the school record of seven set by Kevin Boyle during the 2015-16 season. Connor Hellebuyck and Cam McCormick each had six in a season. Hellebuyck did it twice.
HERNBERG WATCH: UMass Lowell netmninder Christoffer Hernberg is one of twenty goalies named to the Mike Richter Award Watch List. The award honors the nation's most outstanding goalie. The winner is selected by a committee of coaches, scouts and members of the media. Hernberg posted a 2.08 goals against average and a .921 save percentage during the 2017-18 season. UMass Lowell goalie Connor Hellebuyck won the first Mike Richter Award in 2014.
THE 2019 SENIOR CLASS: The six-member UMass Lowell senior class has accumulated a record of 71-42-8, a .620 winning percentage. The class ranks second in Hockey East in wins and third in winning percentage. The class which includes forwards Ryan Dmowski, Connor Wilson, Nick Master and Keith Burchett and defenseman Avni Berisha and goalie Christoffer Hernberg has won one HEA regular season title, a tournament championship, four in-season tournaments and made two appearances in the NCAA tournament. The class ranks fourth among UML teams. The 2016 senior class tops the list with 100 victories.
FRESH FACES: The River Hawk recruiting class of 13 is the largest in the country and the second largest during the Norm Bazin era. Walk on Derek Osik earned a spot on the roster during the pre-season tryouts. UConn, Niagara and Quinnipiac also have 12 freshmen on the roster. Bazin's largest freshman class was during the 2014-15 season when UMass Lowell welcomed 14 freshmen. A year ago the freshmen class numbered just a half dozen.
GETTING THE FIRST ONE: Two UMass Lowell players have already notched their first collegiate goal during the 2018-19 season. Both first-goals came in the second game of the season against RIT. Forward Sam Knoblauch found the back of the net at the 17:51 mark of the first period to give UMass Lowell a 2-0 lead. Forward Reid Stefanson tied the game at four with a minute and 14-seconds remaining in the third period.Â
POINTS OF ORIGIN: The 2018-19 UMass Lowell hockey roster is made up of players from four countries, 11 states and five Canadian provinces. Massachusetts, Michigan and Pennsylvania top the list of states with three players each calling those states "home." Five players are from the Province of Ontario.  Â
BORN TO PLAY THE GAME: River Hawk freshman Michael Dill is from Windsor, Nova Scotia. It is Windsor, Nova Scotia which claims to be the birthplace of ice hockey. The game evolved on the lakes and ponds in the Windsor area from "ice hurley", an ice version of the Irish sport of hurling.
GOOD BLOODLINES: Defenseman Nolan Sawchuk has an NHL Hall of Fame connection. His Great Great Uncle was goaltender Terry Sawchuk who played for five NHL teams during a 21-year career. The Hall of Fame goalie won three Stanley Cups with Detroit and one with Toronto.
STRIPES IN THE BLOOD: Freshman forward Austin O'Rourke has an NHL connection of a different kind. His father Dan O'Rourke is a National Hockey League referee, who has worked three Stanley Cup Finals series (2011, 2012, 2016) and has worked over 1,000 career games in the NHL.
CARRYING THE WEIGHT: UMass Lowell is the second biggest team in the country based on average weight. The River Hawks tip the scales at an average 193.83-pounds. Only Hockey East rival UConn is heavier averaging 194.23-pounds.
81 GAMES: Sophomore forward Ryan Lohin has played in every game of his collegiate career, 81 in a row. Michael Kapla is the River Hawk record holder with 161 consecutive games played. Forward Colin O'Neill is second on the active consecutive games list with 52.
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