The UMass Lowell River Hawks started off their 2000 season with high hopes and a weak non conference schedule. The home opener was against a UConn team that lost to Lowell last year by a 13-1 score. The Tsongas Arena was mostly empty, and the announced crowd of 1,467 was shocked at 15:07 of the first period as the Huskies got on the board first. The Huskies sat back the entire period, placing three defenders along with the goalie in front of the net, and helping their junior netminder John Chain keep the puck out of the net. Chain faced 24 shots in the first period, making a couple of great saves, but allowing a momentum changing goal with just 5 seconds left in the first period. With one Huskie already in the box, the Huskies took another penalty giving the Hawks 1:40 of a 5-on-3 power play. The Hawks wasted the 5-on-3 opportunity, but managed to cash in just before the power play completely vanished, as freshman Laurent Meunier notched his first collegiate goal. Senior Captain Brad Rooney found an open Josh Reed, who passed the puck to Meunier in the slot.
A blast over the shoulder of Chain tied the game at 1-1, the Hawks 24th shot of the period, to just 4 by UConn. The momentum shifted for good just 1:12 into the second on a UConn power play, as Brad Rooney's clear into the zone was misplayed by the Huskies, who then proceeded to knock the puck into their own net. Rooney got credit for the goal, which proved to be the game winner. At 5:04, it was 3-1, and the game was for all intents and purposes over. Meunier got his second of the goal, another power play goal, making a great move to get in alone. Kyle Kidney and Reed picked up the assists. Before the PA announcer was finished stating the goal scorers, it was 4-1, as Ron Hainsey found Rooney breaking out of the zone on a 2-on-1. Rooney placed a great pass onto the stick of Geoff Schomogyi who scored his first of the year at 5:38. The Hawks weren't done for the period either, as Meuneir's breakout pass found Dan Fontas, who passed the puck to Kidney for the prettiest goal of the night. Kidney took the pass just outside the blue line, and made a couple of great moves and a low shot made it 5-1 at 19:21. The Hawks outshot UConn 10-3 in the period, and the night was over for Jimi St. John, who ended with 6 saves on 7 shots.
Freshman Chris Davidson came in and shut out the Huskies on just 3 shots in the third. The Hawks expanded the lead to 6-1 as Josh Allison and Ed McGrane worked together to get the puck to Yorick Treille, who's touch shot went right over Chain at 6:31. Lowell finished the game with 45 shots to just 10 for UConn, and was 2-3 on the power play, while UConn was 0-4. The Hawks will play RPI next weekend, also at the Tsongas Arena.
The River Hawks hosted 11th ranked RPI on Friday night. The Engineers led the all-time series between the two teams 8-6-1 including a 3-1 win last year in a game in which Lowell outshot RPI 44 to 30, with the third goal being an empty netter. The Hawks fell behind 9:39 into the game, on a power play goal by Matt Murley of RPI. But setting a tone that they would follow repeatedly, the Hawks came back to tie a few minutes later. Yorick Treille scored his second goal of the season at 14.44, with assists going to Ed McGrane and Mark Concannon. RPI regained the lead at 17:54 and the first period ended with Lowell trailing 2-1, having outshot RPI 12-7. The Engineers held onto the lead for the majority of the second period, until Lowell finally tied it again at 14:23 on a power play. Josh Reed's blast from the point slipped by the keeper who never saw the puck. Geoff Schomogyi and Kyle Kidney assisted on the sophomore's first goal of the year. Once again though, the Engineers took the lead, just 2 minutes later at 16:46, as Murley got his second of the game.
Lowell refused to lose this game though and tied it again at 19:43, with Treille picking up his second of the game, and third of the year. Ed McGrane started the play, passing the puck from the corner to Ron Hainsey, who's blast from the point was saved by the keeper. Treille pounced on the rebound and roofed it from in close, to tie the game at 3. The game seemed to slow down a bit in the third, both teams having a couple of great chances, including Murley almost getting his third as the puck passed through the crease, but couldn't get past the line. Finally at 11:21, Ron Hainsey's perfect pass sent in Kidney, who's wrister found the back of the net for the game winning goal. Kidney's second of the year provided the final 4-3 margin, and helped Lowell improve to 2-0. Jimi St. John improved to 2-0, dropping his GAA to 2.40. The Hawks open up the Hockey East season hosting Northeastern on Friday and heading to UNH for their first game of the year on Saturday.