LOWELL, Mass. – The eighth-seeded University of Maine Black Bears were looking to gain some momentum for next weekend’s Hockey East quarterfinal series against Boston University by picking up at least one win against UMass Lowell this past weekend.
Instead, the Bears will try to forget their worst loss of the season, 6-0, which enabled the River Hawks to sweep the season series for the first time in Hockey East’s 25-year history.
The River Hawks beat Maine 3-2 at Orono on Jan. 30 and followed that with a 5-3 triumph Friday night.
UMass Lowell, which finished fifth and will travel to Vermont for the quarterfinals, finished the regular season at 17-15-2, 14-11-2 in Hockey East.
Maine wound up 12-20-4 and 7-17-3, respectively, with its fewest league wins since the 1993-94 season (3-20-1) when the Bears were assessed several forfeits for using ineligible players.
Maine has now lost six straight and is winless in its last eight (0-7-1). The Bears went 2-15-3 over their final 20 games and had the fewest league wins (2) among Hockey East teams during that span.
The River Hawks scored twice in the first 8:40 and junior goalie Carter Hutton made 21 saves in posting his third shutout of the season. He had eight Grade-A (high-percentage) stops.
“They had too many quality chances. They were getting second shots right in the slot. We didn’t help Scotty [freshman goalie Scott Darling] a whole lot,” said Maine sophomore center Tanner House.
Darling finished with 16 saves including seven Grade-A’s as UMass Lowell outshot Maine 22-21.
“Scott may not have had his best weekend of the season but we need to protect him better,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead.
Darling was forced to play both games because junior Dave Wilson pulled his groin in practice Tuesday.
“Things snowballed on us,” said Maine sophomore defenseman Mike Banwell. “We didn’t do the small things right.”
“I’m disappointed,” said Whitehead. “The guys were very focused out of the gate. Unfortunately, they scored a power play goal a couple of minutes into the game and we were behind the eight-ball.”
The River Hawks scored on two of their three power play chances to go 6-for-11 on the weekend.
Maine failed to convert on five power play chances and went 1-for-12 with the man advantage in the two-game set.
“Our special teams were extraordinary this weekend,” said UMass Lowell coach Blaise MacDonald.
Maine has allowed 14 power play goals in 40 chances during its eight-game winless streak for a dismal 65 percent success rate.
Kory Falite opened the scoring on the power play 2:54 into the game and Mark Roebothan expanded the lead at the 8:40 mark.
Maury Edwards made it 3-0 with a power play goal in the second period and the River Hawks got third-period goals from Jeremy Dehner, Michael Budd and Falite.
“We had more than our share of opportunities but we didn’t capitalize and they did,” said Whitehead.
Falite opened the scoring when Dehner’s point shot deflected to him and he converted from the bottom of the circle to Darling’s left.
“[Darling] got over and was in position. I thought he was going to make the save. The shot deflected in off his glove,” said Falite.
Roebothan made it 2-0 when he directed Mike Potacco’s centering pass from the extended goal line just inside the far post.
“I got inside position on their defenseman [Matt Duffy] and got a piece of the puck,” said Roebothan.
Maine freshman left wing Brian Flynn, who had his seven-game point streak (4 goals, 5 assists) snapped, hit the crossbar early in the second period.
Edwards made it 3-0 at 12:34 of the middle period when he skated on to a loose puck after a face-off win by Ben Holmstrom and snapped a 17-footer inside the far post.
Dehner sewed it up 6:27 into the final period when he accelerated around Maine defensman Josh Van Dyk, cut across the low slot and wristed it past Darling.
Budd and Falite scored in the final 4:47.
“The defense did a great job,” said Hutton, who entered the game with a 3-4 record against Maine along with a 2.57 goals-against average and .898 save percentage.
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