The UMass-Lowell River Hawks came back from one-goal deficits three times and scored the only goal of the third period to defeat the 11th-ranked Rensselaer Engineers, 4-3.
Kyle Kidney snapped a wrister past Engineer goaltender Kevin Kurk a little more than halfway through the third period from the faceoff circle for the game-winner.
“It’s a good feeling because I don’t score too often and I’m not known as a sniper,” said Kidney. “So, a special moment like that is even more special. I knew I had to just get it on net for a rebound and it went in.”
The ‘Hawks trailed 1-0 midway through the first period on a Matt Murley power-play goal, but Yorick Treille evened it up later in the first. Three minutes after Treille tied the game, Nolan Graham gave the Engineers back a one-goal lead.
In the second period, the River Hawks once again tied it up, this time on the power play. Josh Reed took a shot from the blue line that Kurk never saw and the game was tied at 2.
The Engineers would go back up by a goal when Murley was sprung on a breakaway and deked ‘Hawk goaltender Jimi St. John and finally put it in on his forehand.
But UML came back again to tie the game at three on the power play with less than a minute to go in the second period. Ron Hainsey’s point shot hit Kurk in the chest and Treille was there to pick up the rebound and roof home his second goal of the game.
In the third period, Murley missed the hat trick as his wraparound attempt saw the puck travel across the goal line, but not over it. Then Kidney struck and the Riverhawks hung on to win.
“We worked hard, but we didn’t play a smart game, therefore we didn’t play a good game,” said Engineer head coach Dan Fridgen. “I wish I could explain it, but we’d like to see more consistency. I didn’t think we did the little things well.”
“It was important for us to come from behind several times in the game and it was a good sign for this team,” said Lowell head coach Tim Whitehead. “Every time they struck, we struck back and we wore them out in the end. We were one goal better in this particular game. It was a good team effort. Every single guy stepped forward.”
The River Hawks (2-0-0) will open up Hockey East play next week by hosting Northeastern on Friday while the Engineers (1-1-0) entertain Army next Saturday.
