PALM DESERT, Calif. - Junior Scout Truman (Lethbridge, Alberta) scored two goals to help lead the UMass Lowell ice hockey team (12-4-2, 5-3-1 Hockey East) to a 3-2 victory against Omaha (8-10-0, 4-4-0 NCHC) and win the inaugural Coachella Calley Cactus Cup at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California.
In addition to the pair of Truman goals, graduate student Jack Robilotti (New York, N.Y.) scored his first goal in a River Hawks uniform. Junior TJ Schweighardt (Manahawkin, N.J.), senior Isac Jonsson (Ängelholm, Sweden), freshman Lee Parks (Ottawa, Ontario), senior Matt Crasa (South Setauket, N.Y.) and sophomore Jak Vaarwerk (Clarence, N.Y.) all picked up one assist, as well.
On the defensive end, seven different players blocked at least one shot, with graduate student Pierson Brandon (Irvington, N.Y.) leading the way with three. Robilotti and senior Owen Cole (Dunnville, Ontario) each had two, while four different skaters blocked one shot apiece. Junior Beni Halasz (Budapest, Hungary) got the nod in net for the River Hawks, making 18 saves for the win.
The first period was a battle, with both teams collecting scoring opportunities and seven shots on goal. The River Hawks killed off two penalties throughout the first 20 minutes and picked up a power play of their own at the 14:05 mark, tallying three shots on goal but they could not find the back of the net. The squad also blocked four shots with Halasz helping keep it scoreless with seven saves to bring it to the locker room with a 0-0 score.
The River Hawks started off strong in the second, with wraparound chances from Bentley and Cole that were just saved by Omaha goaltender Simon Latkoczy. UMass Lowell continued to threaten on a power play at the 2:00 mark with three consecutive shots on goal, but to no avail. Later in the period, Halasz came up with crucial saves once again on the other end and the River Hawks won the shots battle, 11-5, but the score remained the same heading into the third period.
The River Hawks cashed in at the beginning of the third with Truman's first goal just 1:55 into the period. It all started when Vaarwerk flipped the puck high in the air, landing it in front of Schweighardt in the neutral zone, who fed Truman with a pass off the boards. Truman then skated into the offensive zone and sniped one past Latkoczy for the lead. Just under three minutes later, Robilotti scored his first goal as a River Hawk from the blue line, taking a pass from Crasa. Truman wasted no time scoring his second of the night, potting it just 28 seconds after Robilotti's goal for the 3-0 lead. Jonsson started the sequence from the blue line, firing the puck toward the net, before Parks got a stick on it in front and Truman found the puck and fired it home.
Omaha responded with two goals at the 12:35 and 19:14 marks in an attempt to mount a comeback, but the River Hawks closed it out for the 3-2 championship victory. Following the game, Parks was recognized as the Cactus Cup MVP for his productive weekend for the River Hawks. He finished the tournament with the game-winning goal in game one and three assists for four total points. The team was then presented with the Cactus Cup trophy.
The River Hawks return to the Tsongas Center next weekend on Friday, January 10 and Saturday, January 11 to host No. 7 Maine. Game one is set for 7:15 p.m., while Saturday's game two will begin at 6:05 p.m.
