Feb. 24, 2009

Killing power plays and scoring goals, the UMass Lowell penalty kill has been equally dangerous at both ends of the ice this season.

Over the last five games the River Hawks have killed 27 straight power plays against and allowed just 30 shots on goal (1.1 per attempt) during those opportunities. They are also a plus-3 in scoring margin over the last 27 having scored three shorthanded goals.

Over the last seven games the River Hawks are even - four shorthanded goals for, four power play goals against. The 27 straight represents the longest streak of the season for UMass Lowell, which stands at 87.2-percent (123-for-141) for the year.

UML ranks fourth in Hockey East and 14th in the nation.

The River Hawks are second in Hockey East games at 88.6-percent.

UML has allowed multiple power play goals in a game just four times and has held its opponents off the board in 16 of 30 games this season.

The River Hawks have five shorthanded goals overall on the year, all coming in league games. It's the most for a River Hawk team since 2001-02 when they had six. The 2000-01 squad had nine shorthanded goals. The school record is 23 set in 1981-82.

Four of the five shorthanded goals have come on the road. UMass Lowell is 4-0-0 when scoring a shorthanded goal.

The five shorthanded goals have been scored by five different players. For all five it was their first career shorthanded goal.

Matt Ferreira scored the first of the season for the River Hawks in an 8-3 win over New Hampshire on November 14. Mark Roebothan followed with a shorthanded goal in UML's 3-2 win at Maine on January 30.

Junior defenseman Nick Schaus and senior Nick Monroe, who leads the River Hawks with three shorthanded points this season (1 goal, 2 assists), each scored a man down in UMass Lowell's 6-0 win at Boston College.

Junior winger Paul Worthington became the latest River Hawk to record a shorthanded goal when he scored late in the second period of Lowell's 1-0 win against Vermont at the Gutterson Fieldhouse.

Up Next: Home-and-Home with Northeastern

The River Hawks continue their playoff push Friday and Saturday night with a home-and-home series against the first-place Huskies of Northeastern University. Friday night's contest is at Matthews Arena in downtown Boston. Saturday the two teams will meet at the Tsongas Arena on Saturday night.

The two meetings will be the 90th and 91st all-time meetings between UMass Lowell and Northeastern. Despite dropping the first match up this season, the River Hawks hold a 50-32-7 lead in the all-time series. UML is 27-17-5 on the road and 23-14-2 at home in the series.

Friday and Saturday night's game can be heard on WUML, 91.5 FM. Bob Ellis will handle the play-by-play duties. He will be joined by Lowell Sun beat writer Chaz Scoggins. The broadcast begins with the pre-game show at 6:30 p.m.

Scheu Named Rookie of the Week; Hutton, Worthington Named Top Performers

Freshman forward Michael Scheu was named the Pro Amibitions Hockey East Rookie of the Week Monday afternoon. Carter Hutton and Paul Worthington were named to the league's Top Performers List.

Scheu scored the first two goals of his collegiate career in UMass Lowell's 3-3 tie at Vermont Friday night (Feb. 20). His second goal was the game-tying goal and came at 19:34 of the third period. He scored his first career goal at the 19:15 mark of the first period of Friday's game.

Hutton and Worthington starred in the River Hawk's 1-0 victory Saturday night (Feb. 21) at the Gutterson Fieldhouse. Hutton stopped all 21 shots he faced to record his fifth career shutout, second of the season. Hutton made seven saves in the third period to preserve the 1-0 lead.

Worthington scored the game's only goal, a shorthanded tally, in the 1-0 win Saturday. It was Worthington's fourth goal of the season and first career shorthanded goal.

Miscellaneous Notes:

The River Hawks are unbeaten in four straight (3-0-1) and seven of the last eight road games (6-1-1) ... UML is 8-4-1 on the road in league games. The eight wins are tied with Northeastern for the most in Hockey East ... Scheu's game-tying goal Friday night was the third extra attacker goal scored by the River Hawks this season. David Vallorani scored a 6-on-5 goal on November 22 vs. Northeastern. Scott Campbell did it at Boston College on January 16 and Scheu Friday night. UML did not score an extra attacker goal last season ... This weekend's games against Northeastern will be the 17th and 18th for UMass Lowell against nationally ranked teams. The River Hawks are 6-8-2 against ranked teams this season ... After going 27 games this season without a tie the River Hawks earned back-to-back ties against Boston College (4-4, Feb. 14) and at Vermont (3-3, Feb. 20). Lowell had gone 57 games without a tie before the Feb. 14 draw with BC.