Image by Julia Malakie, Lowell Sun
02/23/2016
Lowell Sun
By Dennis Whitton
LOWELL -- With two games left in the final weekend of the 2015-16 regular season, this much is clear: The UMass Lowell hockey team will end up being either the fourth or fifth seed for the Hockey East playoffs.
The difference is significant, as the top four finishers in the conference earn first-round playoff byes, while a fifth seed would put Lowell in a first-round best-of-3 series against the 12th-place team, most likely UMass Amherst.
A five seed would also keep the River Hawks from hosting any quarterfinal round series should they advance.
And they will have their work cut out for them, as the final weekend features a home-and-home series with Boston College, which tops the Hockey East standings with a 14-1-5 record.
Right now, UMass Lowell is tied with Boston University with 26 points, as both teams are 11-5-4 in Hockey East play. BU is at third-place Notre Dame (14-4-2) on Friday and Saturday night.
1. Head to head (the teams were 1-1); 2. Conference wins (UML and BU would more than likely have the same number); 3. Record vs. the top team (BU tied one and lost one vs. BC, the River Hawks would have to at least do the same; 4. Coin flip.
The rest of the final HE weekend features Maine at Northeastern, Providence vs. UMass Amherst, New Hampshire vs. UConn and Vermont at Merrimack.
UMass Lowell's fate is actually in its own hands. If the River Hawks are able to sweep BC, they would earn the fourth seed no matter what BU did against the Fighting Irish -- because UML would have the superior record against BC.
Anything short of a sweep, however, and UMass Lowell will have to count on getting some help.
Friday's game is at Boston College while Saturday night's regular season finale is at what is sure to be a sold-out, very loud, Tsongas Center.
The four first-round series (No. 12 at No. 5, 11 at 6, 10 at 8 and 9 at 8) will be held March 4-6 on home ice of the better seed in a best-of-3 format.
The four quarterfinal series will also be best-of-3 at the homes of the top four seeds March 11-13.
The semifinals and final are March 18 and 19 at the TD Garden.