DURHAM, N.H. - Senior forward Robert Cronin (Plymouth, Mass.) and senior forward Liam Devlin (Needham, Mass.) each scored twice as the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team defeated No. 17 UMass Lowell, 4-2, on Saturday evening in front of a sold-out crowd at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex in the regular season finale for both teams. The Wildcats sweep the two-game series versus the River Hawks as UNH won 4-1 on Friday at the Tsongas Center.
With tonight's results, UNH will be the No. 10 seed and play at No. 7 seed UMass Lowell in the Opening Round of the Hockey East Tournament on Wednesday, March 12. This is the second straight season these two teams will meet in the Opening Round. Last year UNH won 1-0 on March 13 at the Whittemore Center.
Senior goalie Rico DiMatteo (Calgary, Alberta) recorded 31 saves to earn his second straight win, while sophomore forward Ryan Conmy (Alexandria, Va.) also had a multi-point night with three assists for three points.
The Wildcats advance to 13-15-6 (5-14-5 Hockey East), while the River Hawks fall to 15-15-4 (8-13-3 Hockey East).
Before the game, student equipment assistant Kole Robinson (Kensington, N.H.), student equipment assistant Kevin Doherty (Wakefield, Mass.), defenseman Jack Babbage (Tully, N.Y.), forward Conor Lovett (Franklin, Mass.), Devlin, defenseman Luis Lindner (Spittal an der Drau, Austria), defenseman Luke Reid (Warman, Saskatchewan), defenseman Colton Huard (Foothill Ranch, Calif.), Cronin, DiMatteo, goalie Raphael Gaughan (Somersworth, N.H.), alternate captain Nikolai Jenson (Cold Spring, Minn.), alternate captain Connor Sweeney (North Andover, Mass.) and captain Alex Gagne (Bedford, N.H.) were honored for their hard work and dedication to the program.
Score: New Hampshire 4, #17 UMass Lowell 2
Records: UNH 13-15-6 (5-14-5 Hockey East); UML 15-15-4 (8-13-3 Hockey East)
Location: Durham, N.H. (Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex)
Date: Saturday, March 8, 2025
Attendance: 6,501
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The River Hawks took the 1-0 lead at 15:18 of the first period when Connor Eddy netted a goal stick side.
- The Wildcats made it 1-1 at 17:35 of the first period when Devlin found a loose puck in front of the net and landed a goal stick side. Lovett and Huard each tallied an assist on the goal.
- At 9:02 of the third period Cronin buried a close-range shot stick side on the power play to make it 2-1 for the Wildcats. Junior forward Cy LeClerc (Brentwood, N.H.) and Conmy each recorded an assist on the goal.
- At 11:18 of the third period, UNH made it 3-1 on the power play as Cronin blasted a slap shot from the left circle to net his second goal of the evening. Sophomore forward Nick Ring (Hingham, Mass.) and Conmy earned an assist on the goal.
- Devlin secured an empty net goal at 18:22 of the third period to make it 4-1 for the Wildcats. Conmy and Gagne were each credited with an assist.
- At 18:46 of the third period and on the power play, Lee Parks tipped a shot in stick side for the 4-2 final score.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- UML outshot UNH, 33-31.
- The Wildcats went 2-7 on the power play, while the River Hawks went 1-5.
- DiMatteo posted 31 saves, while Beni Halasz made 27 saves.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- The Wildcats have won six straight versus the River Hawks.
- Cronin now leads the team with a career-high 16 goals.
- This was Cronin's third career three-goal game and his 12th career multiple point game.
- Cronin extended his point streak to four games. He has four goals and one assist for a total of five points during the streak.
- Conmy recorded his 17th career multiple point game. This was his second career three-assist game.
- Devlin recorded his 18th career multiple point game.
- Lovett tallied his first assist of the season.
- DiMatteo, the reigning Hockey East Stop It Goaltending Goaltender of The Week, matched his UNH high with 31 saves.
