#10 Providence beats UMass Lowell 7-2

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Coming off a rough weekend in Maine, the UMass Lowell River Hawks (7-15-2, 3-9-1) returned to Tsongas Center to host the #10 Providence College Friars (13-7-2, 6-4-2) before a crowd of 5,929. The River Hawks were trying to snap a two-game losing streak and also create some home-ice dominance. Coming into Friday night’s game, UMass Lowell was 1-6-1 on home ice while the Friars were 4-5-1 on the road this season.

UMass Lowell was missing one of their key center ice players Dillian Bentley who was out for Friday night’s game. No word yet on his injury. The starting goalies on Friday night were, Philip Svedeback (12-7-2, 2.26 GAA) for Providence, and for the River Hawks, it was Luke Pavicich (3-7-0, 3.66 GAA). It would be a first-period to forget if you are a River Hawks fan as Providence scored four goals. It started at the 9:23 mark with Bennett Schimek getting his fifth of the season unassisted. A River Hawk giveaway at their own goal line helped set up the goal. Schimek picked up the loose puck, skated out in front of the net, and beat Pavicich between the legs to make it 1-0 Friars. Schimek struck again at 12:26 for his sixth of the year, also unassisted. Off of a faceoff, he took the puck and went to the right side of the net to beat Pavicich. 2-0 Providence.

It became 3-0 Providence as Guillaume Richard from the right point beat Pavicich for his third of the season. It would mark the end of the night for Pavicich who faced eight shots and allowed three goals. He was replaced by Edvard Nordlund who was seeing his second straight game action. He played the final seven minutes of last Saturday’s game in Maine. He faced one shot in the period, and it was a goal as Riley Duran on the power play ripped a slat shot from the left wing side that beat Nordlund to the short side. For Riley, the goal was his sixth of the season. Assists went to Austen May and Nick Poisson. Providence had the shot advantage by a 9-8 count. 4-0 Providence after one.

The second period started out with more of the same and the Friars added two more goals. At the five-minute mark, Poisson tipped home a point shot from Cam McDonald for his seventh of the year. The secondary assist went to Connor Kelly. Austen May made it 6-0 Providence as he fired home a slap shot from the right circle that beat Nordlund over the left shoulder. The time of that goal was 5:30. For May, it was his third of the year. Out went Nordlund back in came Pavicich. The move may have woken the team up a little as they got on the scoreboard at the 17;42 mark as Jak Vaarwerk scored off of a goalmouth scramble. Assists went to Scout Truman and Jaiden Moriello. It was 6-1 Providence after two periods. Providence had a 9-6 shot advantage.

On the power play, the Friars struck again to make it a 7-1 game. The power-play goal was their second of the night. It was scored by Chase Yoder with assists going to Duran and Schimek at the 29-second mark. For some reason, the Friars started playing stupid hockey. They were taking unnecessary penalties, the worst was a five-minute boarding major taken by Levens. It gave UMass Lowell a power play allowing the River Hawks to score a 4-on-3 PPG. Ben Meeham blasted one past Svedeback from the right wing for his first of the year. The goal came at 7:27 and was assisted by Jake Stella and Isac Jonsson. There would be no more scoring from there. The final score was Providence 7 UMass Lowell 2.

Providence head coach Nate Leaman was happy with the fact that “the puck went in for us tonight.” He liked the poise of his team on Friday night, notwithstanding the late-game penalties. UMass head coach Norm Bazin had a different take on Friday night. When asked about whether or not some players may have checked out at this point, his response was “Good question and we will see.” It would seem that the head coach is not sure what he is going to get from game to game. The River Hawks will try to get back on track Saturday night at Providence.