AMHERST, Mass. - No. 17/14 Massachusetts hockey erased one-goal deficits on two occasions to earn a 2-2 tie against No. 16/15 UMass Lowell on Thursday night at the Mullins Center. The Minutemen (17-12-4, 8-9-4 HE) went on to take the extra point in the Hockey East standings with a 2-1 shootout win over the River Hawks (15-12-4, 8-10-2 HE).
"The usual for a UMass-UMass Lowell game," said UMass head coach Greg Carvel. "Tight game between two teams fighting for same spot in polls and rankings and Hockey East. I liked our start was great, first 10 minutes, and then we take a penalty in the offensive zone that kind of turned the game. I thought Lowell controlled the second. I give our guys credit; we came out in the third and really played well. We controlled the third period. Then a lot of action in the overtime, so people got their money's worth tonight."
UMass Lowell opened the scoring seconds after its first power play of the night expired. Owen Cole found Jak Vaarwerk for a 2-on-1 that Dillan Bentley finished into an open net from the slot 8:36 into the first period.
Moments later, the Minutemen tied things up at 1-1. After collecting the puck from junior Kenny Connors and entering the offensive zone, senior Ryan Lautenbach curled back along the half wall and found junior Lucas Olvestad trailing the play for a blast through traffic from the blueline at 11:29.
The River Hawks pulled back in front 15:14 into the second period as Stefan Owens redirected home a shot from Jack Robilotti at the right point. Mirko Buttazozoni earned an assist on the play, as well.
UMass came up with the equalizer midway through the third. As Cole O'Hara picked up the puck from sophomore Aydar Suniev and senior Lucas Mercuri behind the net and tucked in a wraparound for his 19th goal of the year at the 9:13 mark.
The tally extended O'Hara's point streak to 11 straight, tying a program record initially set by Tim Turner during the 2002-03 season.
After a scoreless overtime period, O'Hara scored in the first round of the shootout after Dillan Bentley was denied by goaltender Michael Hrabal, which would prove to be the difference as the squads traded goals in the second shootout round. Hrabal then closed the door on Scout Truman in round three to clinch things for the Minutemen.
UMass ended the night with a 31-24 advantage in shots and went 1-for-3 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
Hrabal made 22 saves for the Minutemen and River Hawks netminder Beni Halasz turned aside 29 shots.
The two teams will be back in action on Saturday, March 1, with the second game of the series at the Tsongas Center in Lowell at 6:05 p.m.
