(By Sapna Pathak Globe Correspondent / March 30, 2008) Kory Falite had seen the University of Massachusetts at Lowell hockey program develop. He had watched games, played in the Tsongas Arena, visited the campus, and acquainted himself with the coaching staff.

But Falite had made up his mind about his college choice a long time ago, when he was 6 years old.

"I grew up right down the street from the college," said the Billerica native. "So I grew up watching the team and knew that I wanted to play there someday. I knew that I wanted to play Hockey East because it's one of the best leagues, and seeing them play up close so often.

"I knew, when I was little, that's where I wanted to play one day."

Fast-forward 13 years, and Falite is living his dream as a member of the River Hawks. He recently wrapped up his sophomore season as UMass-Lowell's only player - and the only underclassman overall - to be named a Hockey East all-star (second team).

Falite has matured into one of the team's most dangerous offensive threats. He finished the season with a team-high 32 points in 37 games, recorded 5 power-play goals, and scored 4 game-winners as the River Hawks finished 16-17-4.

It was Falite's talent for finding the net that caught the eye of Lowell head coach Blaise MacDonald.

"He was always around the puck a lot," MacDonald said of scouting Falite. "He could finish off and score goals very well. He played junior hockey and was a real good fit for us."

Though MacDonald was introduced to Falite when he was playing for the Boston Junior Bruins, MacDonald's relationship with the Falite family began when MacDonald was in middle school. Falite's father, Frank, was a teacher at Locke Middle School when MacDonald was a student; Frank Falite went on to coach MacDonald's brother at Austin Prep, the same high school Kory Falite attended.

During high school, Falite played for the Boston Junior Bruins for three sea sons. The experience gained from playing with New England's elite players prepared him to earn significant ice time as a UMass-Lowell freshman.

"A skill that can't be taught is goal-scoring," said Peter Masters, coach of the Junior Bruins and Kory Falite's brother-in-law. "You can shoot the puck all day, but you can't teach someone how to beat the goaltender from different angles. Kory has that knack; it's very special. He wants the puck. I've coached him since he was 12. It was always the same: He wants the puck."

Falite tallied his 50th career point (28 goals, 22 assists) this month, notched eight multipoint games, and ended the season on a seven-game point streak. The 5-foot-10-inch left wing helped the River Hawks to the Hockey East quarterfinals, where they fell to Boston University, 4-2.

"I'm a big offensive guy," said Falite. "I love trying to score; that's the biggest part of my game. I always want to score goals. Last year, I made quick decisions; I was too jumpy with the puck. But this year, things just slowed down for me.

"The first couple months of college were tough; it was a lot to get used to. The guys were older, more experienced, and the game moved so fast. It was a comfort thing. I'm more comfortable now, so I can get back to scoring."

With his parents in the stands each night, Falite has proven he is worthy of his position on the first line next to sophomores Paul Worthington and Ben Holmstrom. The only game at which his parents were not cheering was on the evening his older sister, Amy, gave birth to her and Masters's child.

Along with Falite, MacDonald, who is also a Billerica native, relied on a large sophomore class of 16 players. The roster also included seven freshmen and three juniors. The one senior on the squad was defenseman Kelly Sullivan.

"He learned the amount of effort, commitment, and dedication it takes in the off-season to develop," said MacDonald of Falite. "He spent the summer shooting pucks, working out, lifting weights, and sprinting and running. It's made him the player he is today.

"Without question, I'm excited about having him for the next two years. He has a very bright future ahead if he keeps working the way he has."