Image by AP
03/27/2017
Lowell Sun
By Carmine Frongillo
MANCHESTER, N.H. -- It was the most sudden of ends to the skate of a lifetime.
As a collective group UMass Lowell's four seniors -- Michael Kapla, Dylan Zink, Joe Gambardella and Evan Campbell -- have helped the River Hawks' program continue to gain altitude, soaring to elite status in Hockey East over the past four seasons.
With the Hockey East regular season and tournament championships already secured, UMass Lowell took a 2-1 lead with 8:22 remaining and was on the verge of winning the Northeast Regional and a berth in the Frozen Four. But Notre Dame refused to fold, and dashed the River Hawks hopes of playing for the national championship in Chicago next month.
The Fighting Irish scored with 5:17 left to play to force overtime. Then Andrew Oglevie netted the game-winner 2:44 into sudden death OT, lifting ND past UMass Lowell, 3-2, at SNHU Arena and ending the collegiate careers of a senior class that did plenty of legacy-leaving.
"Playing your last game and not getting a win is a tough thing to do," said Kapla, who never missed a game, appearing in all 161 games UMass Lowell played during his time in the program. "But I couldn't be more proud of my senior class. With Kevin Campbell, Dylan Zink and Joe Gambardella we've won a lot of games here and we've had a lot of success. Most importantly, we were able to have a good time and enjoy each other. I think it's been a really fun ride.
"UMass Lowell entered the regional final with a 9-2-2 all-time record against Notre Dame, including a dominant 5-1 victory at the TD Garden in the semifinals of the HE Tournament just over a week ago.
"It definitely stings really bad right now," said Gambardella, UMass Lowell's leading scorer with 52 points (18 goals). "I'm still pretty speechless. Honestly, it's very sour. It's very fresh and it's going to be for the next few weeks and months. It doesn't feel good at all.
"But I'm extremely proud of everyone in that locker room. There's not a thing I would have changed -- minus today -- with my entire time here. We didn't get that bounce at the end. But I'm extremely proud of not only the season we had, but the four years. The coaching staff, and all the people who were apart of it, helped make these the best four years of my life."
The River Hawk seniors compiled an overall record of 99-43-18. This is the second most wins by a class in the Division 1 era, trailing only the 2016 seniors who finished with 100 wins.
Each of the seniors contributed to the program's success. Kapla ended his career with 92 points, including a UMass Lowell Division 1 record 75 assists by a defenseman. Zink was another offensive force on the blue line, finishing with a River Hawk Division 1 record for goals by a defenseman (31) and 87 total points.
Gambardella finished with 129 career points (47 goals). A native of Staten Island, N.Y., Gambardella received the Walter Brown Award, presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England. Campbell, a fifth round draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2013, is a forward who notched 55 career points (27 goals).
"It's a great group of kids," said UMass Lowell coach Norm Bazin. "I told them inside the locker room, 'I did feel we were good enough to advance.' At the same time they won four trophies. They won the (Hockey East) regular season. They won the playoff championship. They won the Alumni Cup. They won a post-Christmas tournament.
"More important, they helped strengthen our culture of success. They have left a heck of a legacy over their four-year careers. They had 11 trophies and that's a heck of a testament to the type of character there is in that class. They're all going to graduate on time. Three of them are over 3.5 students. You can't ask for better kids."
They may have lost their final game, but the River Hawks' hockey class of 2017 will always be remembered as winners.
"I couldn't be happier or prouder that the coaching staff brought me in," said Gambardella. "I can't thank them enough, not only for the player they made me, but the person that they made me off the ice. I'll be forever thankful. It's tough to say now, but I'm a proud alumni."