Northeastern Shuts Out Massachusetts, 5-0
Senior forward Nolan Stevens scores hat trick and assist for Huskies

Senior forward Nolan Stevens had a hat trick and an assist for the Huskies
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 0:31  NOE1-0 EV GW Dylan Sikura (13)Biagio Lerario/5, Nolan Stevens/10
2nd 0:46  NOE2-0 EV Nolan Stevens (14)Dylan Sikura/19, Garrett Cecere/6
2nd 17:07  NOE3-0 EV Nolan Stevens (15)Dylan Sikura/20, Adam Gaudette/19
3rd 8:34  NOE4-0 EV Brandon Schultz (1)John Picking/3, Eric Williams/7
3rd 12:30  NOE5-0 PP Nolan Stevens (16)Dylan Sikura/21, Brandon Hawkins/6
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Massachusetts  0000
Northeastern  1225
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Massachusetts  77519
Northeastern  11121437
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Massachusetts (11-11-1)  0/3 7/25 0
Northeastern (15-6-3)  1/5 7/30 0
Massachusetts Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Matt Murray (L, 4-7-1)55:295 1010828
Brad Arvanitis4:120 0044
Empty Net0:190     
Northeastern Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Cayden Primeau (W, 11-4-3)59:350 77519
Empty Net0:250     

BOSTON, Mass. - A hat trick from captain Nolan Stevens and four points from Dylan Sikura propelled the No. 8/9 Northeastern men's hockey team (15-6-3, 11-4-1) into first place in the Hockey East standings with a 5-0 victory over UMass (11-11-1, 5-7-1) on Saturday night at Matthews Arena.

Stevens was the catalyst for the Huskies all evening long, finishing with four points on the night (three goals, one assist) to become the 52nd player in team history to reach 100 career points. Stevens was also a +3 and was a perfect 5-of-5 in the face-off circle.

Sikura potted the eventual game-winning goal just 31 seconds into the game to give NU a lead it would not relinquish. He set the table for Stevens twice in the second period and once in the third as the Husky captain notched his second hat trick of the season.

Production came from up and down the Husky lineup as eight skaters registered at least one point. Brandon Hawkins collected one assist to give him nine points in his last seven contests.

Freshman Cayden Primeau made 19 saves for his second shutout of the season, while freshman Brandon Schultz tallied his first career goal.

The Huskies outshot the Minutemen by a 37-19 count and finished one-for-five on the power play on the evening. Stevens carried the team lead in shots with seven attempts on net. Junior Adam Gaudette fired six shots on net and notched one helper. The Braintree, Mass. native now has nine goals and nine assists in his last 10 games.

Goal descriptions

FIRST GOAL (1-0 Northeastern) - FIRST PERIOD - Dylan Sikura - 0:31
Northeastern struck first less than a minute into the game when Sikura potted his 13th of the season. With the Huskies flying out of the opening face-off, Nolan Stevens cycled the puck down to Biagio Lerario below the goal line. Lerario then hit Sikura with a pass in the slot, and Sikura ripped it past Murray shortside.

SECOND GOAL (2-0 Northeastern) - SECOND PERIOD - Nolan Stevens - 0:46
The Huskies capitalized in the first minute of a period again when Stevens recorded his 14th of the year to give NU a 2-0 advantage. After Northeastern won a defensive zone faceoff, Garrett Cecere shoveled the puck along the wall to a waiting Sikura, who then tossed it into open space in the neutral zone. That's where Stevens flew down the ice to collect the puck and speed in on Murray, using his body to shield the puck from a Minuteman defender before tossing a backhand in for his 100th career point.

THIRD GOAL (3-0 Northeastern) - SECOND PERIOD - Nolan Stevens - 17:07
Stevens buried his second of the night with 2:53 to play in the second period. After Adam Gaudette wheeled through the attacking zone and flung a shot just wide, Stevens and Sikura played catch with the rebound before Stevens turned the corner and went bar down from the right dot.

FOURTH GOAL (4-0 Northeastern) - THIRD PERIOD - Brandon Schultz - 8:34
Schultz got into the act midway through the third period when he sniped his first collegiate goal. After Eric Williams dumped the puck into the UMass zone, John Picking chased it down, settled and fired a pass across the crease to Schultz, who roofed it home.

FIFTH GOAL (5-0 Northeastern) - THIRD PERIOD - Nolan Stevens - 12:30 (PP)
Stevens completed the hat trick with a power play strike with 7:30 to go in the third period after Sikura threaded a pass to Stevens in front. Stevens them calmly faked left, got Murray to commit down before quickly cutting back and tucking it home for his third of the night.

Stats of the game

- Sikura's first period goal was the fastest Northeastern goal to start a game since Tanner Pond scored 18 seconds in at Maine last season (Feb. 25, 2017).

- Stevens' hat trick marks the second straight season in which a Husky senior has recorded multiple hat tricks in a season (Zach Aston-Reese).

- Northeastern scored a goal in the first minute of the first and second periods tonight - the first time this season that the Huskies have found the back of the net in the opening minute of more than one period.

The road ahead

The Huskies will be back in action next weekend when Northeastern battles No. 10 Providence in a home-and-home set, beginning on Friday night at Matthews Arena.