LOWELL, MASS. — The American International College Yellow Jackets (12-8-0) beat the UMass Lowell River Hawks (6-11-2), 4-3, at the Tsongas Center on Saturday.
(Photo by Leanna Puccio/Umass Lowell)
“It wasn’t a Picasso down the stretch, but we did enough,” said AIC head coach Eric Lang following the win.
The ice was tilted in favor of the River Hawks early on, but the offensive woes that have plagued them all year continued after the holiday break. A lengthy offensive zone possession in the first five minutes bred many chances for the hosts. However, their attempts would end up fruitess.
AIC’s Brent Kramer was handed the game’s first penalty for a holding with 9:10 to play in the first period. The first half of the Lowell power play created a few shots, but nothing particularly dangerous. The Yellowjackets’ penalty killers would catch a major break, however. A fumbled pass by Nick Rhéaume would turn into a breakaway for Brett Rylance. The Edmonton native would fire the puck under the pads of Welsch for the shorthanded tally.
AIC would capitalize on a UMass Lowell penalty to freshman Shawn O’Donnell. John Lundy rifled a snap shot over Welsch’s blocker side shoulder to double the Yellow Jacket’s lead just ten seconds into the power play.
The Yellow Jackets would tack on another score less than two minutes into the middle frame. A pass from below the goal line by Owen Cole was intercepted by Alfred Lindberg who put the puck past the Lowell netminder to extend their lead to three.
A Shock to the System
The River Hawks appeared to find life when Brehdan Engum delivered a monster hit to Alexander Malinowski. Cole would put the hosts on the board just a few moments later. Scout Truman found the junior on a hard cross-ice feed from the outside hash marks, who would tip the puck past Nils Wallstrom to cut the deficit to two.
AIC’s luck rapidly worsened after Cole’s score. Two consecutive shots by the Yellow Jackets got past Welsch but would rattle off the goalposts. The second of the attempts would end up on the stick of Jak Vaarwerk. Seeing an opening, junior Matt Crasa would race through the neutral zone and take a stretch pass from Vaarwerk on his backhand. Crasa’s breakaway shot would hit off of Wallstrom’s left pad and flip into the net for the second Lowell score in just over three minutes.
(Photo by Leanna Puccio/Umass Lowell)
American International would get their two-goal lead back just over four minutes into the third period. Alexander Malinowski would score high glove side while falling down and away from the goal to give the Yellow Jackets a 4-2 led with just under 16 minutes to play in regulation.
AIC’s initial scorer, Brett Rylance would exit the game with an injury after an awkward hit into the end boards by former Yellow Jacket Jake Stella. Rylance would head to the locker room clutching his right elbow and would not return.
Something… Anything!
After another episode in the long line of poor UMass Lowell power plays this season, Lowell would pull their goalie with about three minutes remaining. Their time with the extra attacker would end up being successful. Filip Fornaa Svenson would go bar down on a wrist shot from the blue line to give a last chance at life for the hosts with 2:21 remaining in regulation.
The River Hawks would keep the extra attacker on the ice and form another lengthy offensive possession. Wallstrom was forced to dive out of the paint following a hard rebound off of his pads. Following the scramble, Lowell’s Scout Truman and AIC’s Austen Long exchanged shoves. The resulting scrum would send both men to the box as well as Lowell’s Dillan Bentley to the box with just 4.4 seconds remaining. After a lengthy review, the puck would remain in the attacking zone, potentially giving the River Hawks one last chance at tying the game. However, AIC centerman Dustin Manz would win the game’s final faceoff, icing the game for the Yellow Jackets.
Postgame Proceedings
“I thought we played a pretty solid game tonight,” said AIC forward Alexander Malinowski following the win. “There were some ups and downs during the game, but I thought that we followed our game plan.”
Malinowski scored the game-winner for the Yellow Jackets on a rocket shot over Lowell netminder Henry Welsch’s glove.
“Honestly, I thought I missed at first because it was in and out so fast,” said Malinowski. “Alfred Lindberg gave me a good pass to the middle of the ice. I just tried to use my speed and get it on the net. It ended up being a pretty good shot.”
After three weeks without games and a ten-day holiday break, the River Hawks seemed to have trouble shaking the rust off according to UMass Lowell head coach Norm Bazin.
“After ten days off you’re not sure what you’re going to get,” said Bazin postgame. “Some guys didn’t look like they had enough stamina. There’s can only do so much in three-and-a-half days of practice. We have to get back after it and remain positive because there’s a lot of hockey left.
Bazin also noted the team’s apparent lack of ability to impose their will on their opponents.
“I think we’ve had some games where we’ve been quite good, but the maturity is… concerning,” said Bazin. “I think sustaining offensive zone pressure for a full 60 minutes requires maturity. It hasn’t been there. There’s not enough maturity right now in order to sustain enough offense to win. We’re going to have to work on that.”
The River Hawks will take their second monster road trip of the year as they fly south for the Desert Hockey Classic next Friday and Saturday. Game one of the tournament will be against the University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks on Friday at 3:30 PM (ET).
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