LOWELL STRONG IN 7-2 VICTORY AGAINST THE RED RAIDERS
Game ends with 112 penalty minutes in the final five minutes of the game

December 9, 2000

Lowell, Mass. -- After battling to a scoreless overtime tie against New Hampshire in its last game, UMass-Lowell erupted for seven goals against Colgate University to record a 7-2 victory in a non-conference tussle Saturday night at Tsongas Arena.

“I think you have to start with how well (UMass-Lowell) played, they took it to us early,” Colgate coach Don Vaughan said. “I thought they played very well. They played physical and were stronger on the puck than we were.”

The opening period saw UMass-Lowell take control of a flat Colgate squad and the Red Raiders didn’t help matters being whistled for four penalties of which UML connected twice via the power-play.

Vaughan commented on the penalties in the first period ”It’s frustrating. I think the intent was good and I think (our players) were just trying to get things going, but they need to know when to let up.”

The River Hawks took an early 1-0 advantage when Ed McGrane connected on a shot from the slot off feeds from Laurent Meunier and Yorick Treille at 6:56 of the first. UML made it 2-0 when Lefevre got a piece of Treille’s shot from the top of right face-off circle, but the puck dribbled behind his pads and trickled over the line at 8:49.

Sean Nolan (Dorchester, Ont.) scored his 11th of the season cutting the River Hawks lead to 2-1 when he ripped a shot from just outside the right side of the crease. Ben Bryce’s (Carleton Place, Ont.) shot from the blueline deflected off of Dan Stay (North Hampton, N.H.) in the slot and went right to Nolan.

However, that was as close as Colgate would come as the River Hawks scored four straight goals to build a 6-1 advantage. Hainsey started things off with UML’s second power-play goal of the game on a one-timer from the left point with helpers from Meunier and McGrane at 12:58 of the first.

Colgate is now idle until Dec. 28 when they travel to the Silverado Shootout in Duluth, Minn. against No. 6-ranked Western Michigan and then close out the tourney against host Minnesota-Duluth.  

Vaughan believes the break will be a positive, despite the loss against UML. "I'm hoping we can get healthy and get a little momentum going.  We welcome the break and I think it could be the best thing that has happened to us all season."

Brad Rooney made the UMass-Lowell lead 4-1 with a shorthanded marker when he stole the puck and skated past the Colgate defense and beat goaltender Jason Lefevre (Rome, N.Y.). Then just under three minutes later Treille scored his second of the game to build a commanding 5-1 advantage.

Tom Rouleau made it 6-1 River Hawks when he scored on a rebound off Rooney’s shot that was saved by David Cann (Brampton, Ont.) who relieved Lefevre after UML’s fifth goal of the game.

P.J. Yedon (Toronto, Ont.) scored his third goal of the season at 18:59 of the second with helpers from Cory Murphy (Kanata, Ont.) and Nolan to make it 6-2.

The game was marred by penalties late in the game after Colgate’s Stay laid a hit on Treille with 4:44 to go in the game and Treille ended up with a cut and limp on the ice.

This ignited several pushing and shoving matches that saw the game end with 138 combined penalty minutes including 112 in the final five minutes of the game.