ORONO- Isac Jonsson scored a game winning second period goal on Friday night, as the #16 University of Massachusetts-Lowell Riverhawks beat the Maine Black Bears 2-1 in men’s Hockey East action at Alfond Arena.
Maine was returning to Hockey East play for the first time since they swept Vermont on the road back on December 2nd and 3rd. The Black Bears will now play all league games for the remainder of the regular season. Brian Chambers had a very early chance for UMass-Lowell with a breakaway in on Black Bears goaltender Victor Ostman 1:15 into the first period, but Ostman came up with the save. The Riverhawks got on the board at 6:36 on a goal by Marek Korencik. Maine had a real good opportunity later in the first as UML was called for interference at 11:39. At the end of that powerplay while pressuring in the Lowell zone, two penalties were called on the guests during the same flurry. The Black Bears though couldn’t capitalize on the full two minute 5 on 3 advantage, that would end up being costly.
UMass-Lowell (12-8-1, 6-4-1 Hockey East) would get the eventual game winner from Jonsson 9:00 into that second period, as he took a shot from just outside the high slot with traffic in front that beat Ostman cleanly glove side. Maine went shorthanded just 51 seconds later, as Nolan Renwick was called for boarding. Right at the end of that failed powerplay for the Riverhawks, a turnover found the stick of the Black Bears Killian Kiecker-Olson who got a real good look at a shot on netminder Gustavs Davis Grigals that was turned away to keep it 2-0. The hosts finally got on the board for the only time on the night late in the period at 18:55. Brandon Holt took a pass at the left point, and took a shot that was deflected in by Reid Pabich who was standing in front of the net along with Aiden Carney.
The Riverhawks were able to clamp down defensively in the third period, often dumping pucks in and making the Black Bears try to skate 200 feet. Neither team had a Grade A scoring chance in the final 20 minutes, as Lowell outshot Maine 10-4 and took the opener of the series for their sixth Hockey East victory of the season.
Holt and Jakub Sirota both had an assist on the Pabich goal in the loss for Maine. Ostman would make 32 saves, as the Black Bears drop to 8-10-2, 2-6-1 in conference play. Korencik had a goal and an assist in the win for UMass-Lowell, and Davis Grigals stopped 25 shots. The teams will finish off the two game weekend set on Saturday night at 7:05.
Recap/photos/videos by Chris Lessner
