LOWELL, Mass. – Freshman
David Adaszynski (Burnaby, B.C.) scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lift the UMass Lowell ice hockey team (6-11-0, 3-6-0 Hockey East) to a 3-2 victory against Bentley (9-6-1, 8-1-1 AHA) in an exhibition game at the Tsongas Center on Sunday afternoon.
Senior
Dillan Bentley (Peoria, Ill.), sophomore
Libor Nemec (Bratislava, Slovakia) and Adaszynski were the goal scorers for the River Hawks, while four different players picked up assists. Senior
TJ Schweighardt (Manahawkin, N.J.) finished with two helpers, while sophomore
Chris Delaney (Hopkinton, Mass.), freshman
Luke Shipley (Powell River, B.C.) and junior
Jak Vaarwerk (Clarence, N.Y.) joined him with one each.
"The game was productive in helping us get some conditioning back," said Head Coach
Norm Bazin. "I am proud of the guys on sticking with our process and persevering despite being down. We'll look to address some things before we depart to California."
Despite a Bentley goal at the 5:22 mark, the River Hawks put pressure on their defensive unit and goaltender with early chances from sophomore
Mirko Buttazzoni (Langley, B.C.), freshman
Cole Lonsdale (Mississauga, Ontario) and Nemec. The squad then picked up a power play opportunity at 9:48 and fired five quality shots on net, but to no avail. Both teams battled for the remainder of the period, and the game went to intermission with a 1-0 score.
UMass Lowell continued with offensive momentum in the second, collecting solid chances, including a breakaway for freshman
Dalyn Wakely (Port Hope, Ontario) at 11:03 that was just saved. Not long after, at 14:04,
Mirko Buttazzoni had a near-goal, sending one of the right pipe. The Falcons then responded with a goal at 16:40 to make it 2-0 heading into the third.
Early in the third, the pipe made another save when
Dillan Bentley took a crisp Delaney pass and fired one that ricocheted wide. The duo redeemed themselves soon after at the 4:37 mark, connecting for a goal to cut the deficit to one. Delaney made a hustle play to win a race to the puck deep in the offensive zone, and found Bentley in the faceoff circle, who finished it past the Bentley goaltender, Easton Hesse. Then, it was
Nemec that saved the day and forced overtime with his game-tying goal with 1:43 remaining in regulation. Shipley fought for possession of the puck and fed a charging Nemec, who took it to the net and finished it to make it 3-3.
It did not take long to win it in overtime, as Adaszynski became the hero just 36 seconds in. Schweighardt got the play started, flying past multiple Bentley defensemen in the offensive zone, and finding Adaszynski in the high slot. Adaszynski then ripped a wrist shot to the top left corner to secure the win.
The River Hawks now look forward to a trip to Palm Springs, California, where they will host the 2026 Cactus Cup at Acrisure Arena. They take on Minnesota State in the first round on Friday, January 2 at 6:30 p.m. EST and will play either St. Cloud State or Yale the next day.
