Boyle, Collins Lead UMass Lowell Past New Hampshire, 1-0
Sophomore forward Ryan Collins scores game-winner for River Hawks

Sophomore forward Ryan Collins scored the game-winner for the River Hawks
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
3rd 17:16  UML1-0 EV GW Ryan Collins (2)Joe Gambardella/14, Dylan Zink/9
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
UMass Lowell  0011
New Hampshire  0000
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
UMass Lowell  1011627
New Hampshire  871227
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
UMass Lowell (12-4-4)  0/3 2/4 0
New Hampshire (8-8-4)  0/2 3/6 0
UMass Lowell Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Kevin Boyle (W, 12-4-4)60:000 871227
New Hampshire Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Daniel Tirone (L, 6-8-4)59:031 1011526
Empty Net0:570     

DURHAM, N.H. - Danny Tirone (Trumbull, Conn.) recorded 26 saves for the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team, but Ryan Collins scored with 2:44 remaining in regulation to lift 10th-ranked UMass Lowell to Friday night's 1-0 victory at the Whittemore Center.

UNH is now 8-8-4 overall and 2-2-4 in Hockey East while UMass Lowell improved to 12-4-4, 7-2-3.

New Hampshire returns to action Jan. 15 (7 p.m.) at Northeastern University. The teams face off again Jan 16 (7 p.m.) at the Whittemore Center. Tickets for that game and all other UNH games are available online at www.unhwildcats.com, by calling (603) 862-4000 or in person at the Whittemore Center box office.

Tirone recorded double digit saves in both the first (10) and second (11) periods as the River Hawks recorded a 21-15 shot advantage through 40 minutes. UML counterpart Kevin Boyle made 12 of his 27 saves in the third period to preserve the shutout.

Following two scoreless periods of play, UMass Lowell generated a dangerous scoring chance in the opening seconds of the final frame when Robert Francis' sharp-angle shot from deep on the left wing was stopped by Tirone.

In the seventh minute, UML's Joe Gambardella advanced down the left wing and snapped a centering pass to the low slot that glanced off Collins' stick and trickled well wide of the right post. One minute later, Michael Fallon's wrister from the slot was knocked aside by Tirone's blocker.

The Wildcats went on their second power play of the period - and game - at 10:15. Thirty seconds later, Matias Cleland (Longmont, Colo.) blasted a shot through traffic that Boyle saved. UNH maintained possession off the rebound and Matias' slapshot from the right faceoff dot was redirected away by Boyle's blocker.

UMass Lowell broke the scoreless tie with the game's only goal at 17:16. Dylan Zink circled behind the net and his wraparound attempt at the right post was stopped by Tirone. Zink corralled the rebound and sent the puck to the low slot, where it deflected off Gambardella and continued to Collins at the left doorstep. Collins' first attempt to jam the puck into the net was denied by Tirone, but his follow-up shot went across the goal line.

UNH pulled Tirone in favor of an extra skater with 57 seconds to play and the visitors called time out with an upcoming faceoff in its defensive zone with 49.8 left. The River Hawks quickly gained control and cleared the puck into the neutral zone with 42 seconds on the clock.

The 'Cats reentered the attack zone 12 seconds later, but UML once again dispossessed the puck and sent the puck into the neutral zone with 23 seconds to go. On a faceoff just outside New Hampshire's defensive zone, Kyle Smith (Lumberton, N.J.) won the draw for the Wildcats and UNH crossed the offensive blue line with 13 seconds remaining. With eight ticks on the clock, Andrew Poturalski (Williamsville, N.Y.), the leading point scorer in the nation, fired a shot from the top of the right circle that Boyle kicked away with his left leg pad.

The River Hawks did not allow another shot the rest of the way to secure the win.

UMass Lowell recorded a 10-8 shot advantage in the first period. In the 13th minute, Poturalski corralled Dylan Maller's (Parkland, Fla.) outlet pass and skated with speed through the left circle. Poturalski continued behind the net and his backhanded wraparound at the right post went wide through the crease across the low slot.

Two minutes later, the Wildcats pressured again. Jason Salvaggio (Hanson, Mass.) snapped a shot from the top of the left circle wide of the near post. Moments later, a slap shot by Matt Dawson (Delta, British Columbia) from the high slot was redirected by Salvaggio wide right of the cage.

The River Hawks went on their second power play of the game at 16:21. As the skater advantage was winding down, John Edwardh's shot from the right faceoff dot was stopped by Tirone, who also denied Nick Master's rebound attempt from the slot.

With just over one minute left in the opening stanza, UNH's Dan Correale (Prince George, British Columbia) carried the puck on the right wing and left a drop pass at the point for Tyler Kelleher (Longmeadow, Mass.), whose one-timer was turned away by Boyle.

UML generated an 11-7 shot advantage in the second period. In the seventh minute, UNH's Maxim Gaudreault (Annapolis, Md.) skated into the offensive zone and dropped the puck for Jamie Hill (Glassboro, N.J.), but Boyle made the save on the shot from the high slot.

In the ninth minute, UMass Lowell had a 2-on-0 breakaway. Nick Master skated down the left side to pull Tirone to the post, then sent a centering pass toward Adam Chapie in the slot, but Maller retreated and poke-checked the puck away.

Four minutes later on a River Hawks' rush, Gambardella snapped a pass from the right circle back to the high slot, where Tommy Panico skated onto the puck and drove a shot that had to be turned aside by Tirone.

The 'Cats quickly counterattacked and John Furgele (Glen Mills, Pa.) fired a shot from the high slot that sailed just wide of the right post. The puck rebounded off the end boards to the right post, but Boyle covered the loose puck.

With 3:30 left in the second period, the visitors generated a 3-on-2 rush, Gambardella's centering pass from the left wing didn't connect with Collins, who was charging down the slot.

Tirone kept the game scoreless heading into the third with three saves in the last three minutes. Panico's slap shot from the high slot was stopped, and then Zink's bid off the rebound at the left post was also turned aside. On the power play, C.J. Smith teed up a shot from the right faceoff dot aimed at the far post, but Tirone snared the puck with his glove.