River Hawks Shock in Playoffs

The underdog UMass Lowell hockey team, which only two years ago was threatened with extinction or demotion to a lower level of competition, shocked the hockey world by upsetting Northeastern University in the Hockey East semi-final game to earn a shot at the Hockey East championship.

In the tournament final, played at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston on Saturday, March 21, the River Hawks lost,1-0, to Boston University, the No. 1 ranked hockey team in the nation.

It was a heart-attack inducing post season for the River Hawks hockey team, making the starting line’s nickname – the CPR line (Scott Campbell, Mike Potacco and Mark Roebothen) – particularly fitting. Two last-second goals to send games into overtime, key goals by unsung players and a controversial non-goal call that could have changed the outcome of the championship game – the Hockey East playoffs had just about everything for the River Hawks and their fans.

Everything except the final win and a bid to the NCAAs.

But the ride certainly was an exciting one. The River Hawks, who have never won a Hockey East championship, were appearing in only their second finals ever.

“We lost tonight, but I told our guys that they are winners,” said Coach Blaise MacDonald after the game.

The River Hawks had a golden opportunity to pull off another last-second miracle and send the game into overtime when BU was called for a penalty in the final minute of regulation. The situation was eerily familiar – just the night before in the semi-final game against Northeastern, the Huskies were called for too many men on the ice in the final minute. With the goalie pulled and an extra attacker on the ice, the River Hawks’ Campbell scored the tying goal with just 20 seconds left in regulation. Junior Chris Auger scored the game-winner three minutes into overtime.

But there would be no such miracle in the finals.

A controversial non-goal call in the second period could have tied the game up earlier. Television replays showed that during a scrum in front of the net, the puck enter the BU net off of junior Ben Holstrom’s stick before the whistle stopped play. Despite a review, the officials declared the whistle had blown prior to the goal.

The River Hawks ended the regular season ranked No. 5 in Hockey East with a 16-15-2 record. In the quarterfinals, they swept Vermont in the best of three series and earned a spot in the semi-finals against Northeastern.

In the first Vermont game, in another heart-stopping finish, defenseman Nick Schaus scored with 30 seconds remaining in the third period to send the game to overtime. Maury Edwards, who was named a Hockey East First Team All-Star, scored the game-winning goal. In the second Vermont game, Campbell had two goals and one assist, including the game-winner and an empty netter, in the 4-2 win.

The River Hawks graduate just three seniors – Potacco, Roebothan and Nick Monroe. Read about the games in more detail at www.goriverhawks.com.

With the help of stellar marketing efforts by the Athletic Department, the program boasted record attendance in addition to a winning team.

For photos of the Hockey East semi-finals action, check out the University's photo gallery.

- Kristen_OReilly