The UMass Lowell men’s hockey team faced a disappointing defeat against the 10th-ranked UConn, losing 5-1 on March 2, 2024, at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Massachusetts. After a promising win against the same team the night before, the River Hawks struggled to maintain their momentum, particularly in the final minutes of the game.
UConn’s success was largely attributed to standout performances from freshman goalie Kam Hendrickson, who made 28 saves, and forward Joey Muldowney, who scored twice. The Huskies pulled away decisively in the closing stages, netting three goals, two of which came after UMass Lowell pulled its goaltender in a desperate attempt to close the gap.
UMass Lowell (7-13-0, 3-7-0) entered the game with high hopes following their previous night’s victory over UConn (12-5-3, 8-3-1), where they triumphed 5-3 in Hartford. Coach Norm Bazin acknowledged the team’s struggles in the latest matchup, stating, “Overall I thought it was a good hockey game for 58 minutes. I think we kind of fell apart at the end and that’s a learning and maturity thing that we have to get through. Their penalty kill outworked our power play in crucial times in the third, so that was the difference in the game.”
The River Hawks started strong, with their first power play opportunity coming at 17:30 in the first period. Freshman defenseman Luke Shipley quickly capitalized on this chance, scoring just 20 seconds into the man advantage, assisted by Diego Buttazzoni and Dalyn Wakely. This goal marked Shipley’s second consecutive game with a score.
Despite UMass Lowell’s early lead, UConn responded effectively. Sophomore defenseman Trey Scott levelled the score with an unassisted goal at 9:30 in the first period. Hendrickson’s impressive diving save with 7:30 remaining kept the score tied, and the teams finished the period with UMass Lowell edging out in shots, 9-8.
UConn intensified its offensive pressure in the second period, taking the lead with Muldowney’s goal at 14:40, assisted by Ryan Tattle. UMass Lowell had several scoring opportunities but could not break through Hendrickson’s solid defense. The second period concluded with UConn leading 2-1.
The River Hawks had a chance to equalize again in the third period but failed to convert on multiple power play opportunities. UConn’s penalty kill remained effective, thwarting UML’s efforts as the clock wound down. A critical moment came when UMass Lowell pulled their goaltender with 2:30 left in the game, a strategy that backfired as Muldowney scored his second goal, extending UConn’s lead to 3-1.
The Huskies sealed their victory with two additional goals, one coming from an empty net with 28 seconds remaining and another just nine seconds later. The final score of 5-1 reflected UConn’s dominance as they secured a crucial win in this Hockey East matchup.
UMass Lowell will need to regroup quickly as they look to improve their performance in upcoming games.
