DURHAM, N.H. – The UMass Lowell ice hockey team (8-23-4, 4-17-3 Hockey East) fell, 4-0, to No. 18 New Hampshire (19-14-1, 12-11-1 Hockey East) on Saturday night in the regular season finale at the Whittemore Center.
 
Defensively, eight different UMass Lowell skaters collected at least one blocked shot, as junior Isac Jonsson (Ängelholm, Sweden) and sophomore Mark Cooper (Cambridge, Ontario) led the squad with three each. Junior Owen Cole (Dunnville, Ontario) tallied two, while five players had one apiece. Junior Luke Pavicich (Clarence Center, N.Y.) got the nod between the pipes for the River Hawks, making 32 saves.
 
"Difficult weekend for us," said Head Coach Norm Bazin. "Obviously, not the results we were looking for heading into playoffs, but that's what we're faced with."   
 
New Hampshire won the race to the scoreboard in the first period, scoring on a Stiven Sardarian power play goal at 10:37.  The River Hawks picked up a power play opportunity of their own later on, at the 17:09 mark, but could not capitalize on the man advantage. The teams went back-and-forth for the remainder, and the game went to the first intermission at 1-0.
 
After the Wildcats added two goals at the 0:55 and 1:35 marks of the second period, the River Hawks responded with pressure on the offensive end, gathering scoring chances from senior Jake Stella (Karlstad, Sweden) and junior Matt Crasa (South Setauket, N.Y.) and 15 total shots on goal. Pavicich blanked New Hampshire for the remainder of the period with 13 saves, while the penalty kill unit killed off two Wildcats power play opportunities to keep the score the same. Both teams headed to the locker room with the score at 3-0.
 
The third period had a similar start as the second, with New Hampshire scoring quickly on a power play that carried over from the end of the second. The River Hawks once again retaliated with offensive pressure, firing off 18 shot attempts, compared to New Hampshire's 15. Sophomore Dillan Bentley (Peoria, Ill.) had a prime scoring opportunity at 7:25, when he took a wrister from the left faceoff circle that ricocheted off the right pipe and wide. The River Hawks fired seven shots throughout the rest of the game, but to no avail and the game concluded with a 4-0 score.
 
The River Hawks now move on to the first round of the Hockey East tournament, where they will once again match up with New Hampshire. The game will take place back at the Whittemore Center on Wednesday, March 13 with the time to be announced.