LOWELL — UMass Lowell is no football powerhouse.
Heck, the River Hawks don’t even play the sport. They do, however, play hockey and under Norm Bazin, they normally play very well. Even against the big boys.
UML improved to 64-30-8 against schools with FBS (big time) football programs thanks to a dominant 4-0 victory Saturday night over Michigan State.
“It was a great effort. I thought (Friday) night was a good effort. Tonight I thought we cleaned some things up,” Bazin said. “We wanted to be better with our details.”
As a coach, Bazin improved to 3-0-1 against the Spartans. As a UML player, he led the River Hawks to a NCAA Tournament victory over the lads from Lansing.
Sophomore Henry Welsch collected his first career shutout by rejecting 26 shots. Bazin said Welsch wasn’t happy with his first start of the season, a loss at Arizona State. Welsch rebounded in a major way.
Scoring goals for the River Hawks were Carl Berglund (No. 1), Lucas Condotta (No. 1) and Nik Armstrong-Kingkade (Nos. 1 and 2).
Armstrong-Kingkade made it 4-0 at 8:44 of the third, effectively ending Michigan State’s hopes of a comeback. Condotta set up the sophomore’s second goal of the night with a short pass on the doorstep. Defenseman Ben Meehan picked up his second assist on the goal.
The teams played to a 2-2 tie Friday.
Bazin was especially proud of his team’s penalty killing. He saluted associate head coach Andy Jones for his work with that unit.
“I thought the PK was excellent,” Bazin said. “Aggressive.”
In the rematch, it was a hard fought opening 20 minutes. Open ice was hard to come by and shots were limited to 11, six by the visitors.
UMass Lowell pocketed the lone goal of the first period, as junior Carl Berglund, playing his second game after overcoming a serious knee injury suffered last season, wristed a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle past Charleson.
Berglund’s 16th goal of his career came on the power play at 8:50. Nick Austin and Reid Stefanson picked up assists. For Austin, a transfer from Colgate, it marked his first point as a River Hawk.
With 2:33 left in the period, the referees reviewed a possible Michigan State goal. The ruling: No goal.
UML killed off a MSU power play late in the period. The River Hawks were aggressive and quick to the puck, making life easy for Welsch. The Spartans are a strong faceoff team, but UML won 13 of 19 draws in the opening period.
UMass Lowell scored the only two goals of the middle period to pull into a 3-0 lead.
Moments after producing little good looks during a 5-on-3 power play, the River Hawks doubled their lead.
Charleson stopped a shot, but he was helpless to prevent Lucas Condotta from sweeping the puck into his net at the 4:24 mark.
“He’s a leader for a reason. He comes up big at the right times,” Bazin said of Condotta, his captain. “He just keeps getting better and better.”
Matt Crasa and Ryan Brushett picked up the assists.
Michigan State looked to get on the board when UML defenseman Marek Korencik was whistled for interference.
Instead, it was the River Hawks who tallied the next goal.
Meehan’s clearing attempt broke by a Spartan defenseman, springing Nik Armstrong-Kingkade for a breakaway. The sophomore fanned on a backhand attempt, but he kept at it, lifting a forehand over a sprawled out Charleson at the right post at 6:27. It was Armstrong-Kingkade’s second goal in 21 career games. He would record his third goal later.
Welsch put his stamp on the game, robbing Christian Krygier with a right shoulder save during a UML power play, drawing applause from the student section.
Notes: Bazin confirmed freshman forward Theo Pistek has left the program after appearing in one game. The Czech Republic native signed with a team in Sweden. Bazin said Pistek, who was doing well academically, decided college wasn’t for him. … The River Hawks will play two games next season at Michigan State.
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October 24, 2021 at 07:52AM
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Welsch, River Hawks blank Spartans - Lowell Sun
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