DURHAM, N.H. (Nov. 30, 2007) – Nevin Hamilton (Ashland, Mass.) made a career-high 38 saves for the River Hawks, but No. 6 New Hampshire defeated UMass Lowell, 3-2, Friday night in Hockey East action at the Whittemore Center.

With the win, the Wildcats improve to 8-2-1 overall and 5-2-1 in league play. The River Hawks fall to 4-4-4 overall and 2-4-4 against Hockey East with the loss.

Jerry Pallastrone (Revere, Mass.), Matt Fornataro (Calgary, Alb.) and Mike Radja (Yorkville, Ill.) scored for New Hampshire. Radja had the game-winning goal. Fornataro finished the night with three points (1 goal, 2 assists). And Phil DeSimone (East Amherst, N.Y.) had two assists.

Jonathan Maniff (Revere, Mass.) and Mark Roebothan (St. John’s, Nfld.) scored for the River Hawks. Roebothan has points in four of the last five games, and has six points (5 goals, 1 assist) in that span.

The Wildcats scored first in the hockey game, Pallastrone’s fourth of the season at 7:18, but the River Hawks scored two unanswered midway through the first period to take a 2-1 lead.

Maniff got UML on the board with his fourth of the year at 11:11 with a top-shelf shot to the right of the net. And Roebothan gave the River Hawks their only lead of the night two and a half minutes later, at 13:34. The goal was Roebothan’s team-leading seventh of the season and assisted by Scott Campbell (Navan, Ont.) and Ryan Blair (Ashburn, Va.).

The Wildcats then scored two unanswered goals starting with Fornataro’s sixth tally of the season at 6:46 of the second period. Craig Switzer (Peachland, B.C.) and Phil DeSimone (East Amherst, N.Y.) picked up the assists.

Radja netted the game-winning goal midway through the third period, at 11:24, gathering a loose puck in front and beating Hamilton with a wrist shot in front of the net.

Hamilton stopped 38 shots to record a career high in saves. The last time UNH and UML played at the Whittemore Center, November 9, Carter Hutton (Thunder Bay, Ont.) made a career-best 39 saves. Hamilton falls to 2-3-2 on the season with the loss.

Kevin Regan (South Boston, Mass.) made 22 saves to earn his sixth victory (6-2-0) on the season.

The Wildcats had 41 shots against the River Hawks for the second straight game. UNH out-shot UML 30 to 13 through the first two periods and 41 to 24 for the game.

UML was 1-for-4 with five shots on its power plays; the third straight game the River Hawks have recorded a power play goal. The Wildcats were held off the board and had two shots on their three power play attempts.

“UNH is an awfully good team,” said UML head coach Blaise MacDonald. “There were times where we played very, very well. We had a chance to tie it with about six minutes left. We’re in a position to tie and be in that game. That speaks well for our competitive spirit.”

UMass Lowell and New Hampshire conclude the weekend home-and-home series with the third and final meeting of the regular season Saturday night at the Tsongas Arena. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.