LOWELL, Mass. — On paper, it was a mismatch.
Massachusetts-Lowell, ranked fifth in the country, was hosting winless Maine.
Instead, the two teams battled tooth-and-nail for two and a half scoreless periods until Lowell captain Michael Kapla finally broke the deadlock.
With a minute and change remaining, C.J. Smith added an empty-net insurance goal, one that proved necessary when Maine scored six-on-four for the final 2-1 margin.
Until Kapla’s goal, Maine’s freshman goaltender, Rob McGovern, had held off the River Hawks, who’d generated the better of the chances, matching Lowell senior Kevin Boyle save for save. Midway through the third, however, Lowell won a faceoff in the offensive zone and after work in the corner and along the boards, the puck moved to Kapla.
“[Nick] Master kicked it out to me and I was in a good position to shoot the puck,” the senior defenseman said. “I just put the puck on net and hoped for the best.”
With the win, coming after two weekends on the road, the River Hawks moved to 7-1-2 overall and 3-0-2 in Hockey East. They also continued their season-long string of strong defensive performances, allowing no more than three goals in any game and that figure only twice.
“I don’t think we’re a defensive team, to be honest,” Lowell coach Norm Bazin said, “because I think we pursue the puck as hard or harder than most teams we play. ”
I think we have good goaltending. Kevin is doing an outstanding job and the defensemen are collectively doing a good job also.
“The forwards have had their moments, [but] they haven’t been as consistent as I’d like them to be. But at the same time, it’s early in the year.”
Maine fans might wonder if it’s actually getting late, considering their team’s continued winless ways, albeit in almost universally tight games. The Black Bears are now 0-7-3 overall and 0-3-0 in Hockey East.
“Obviously, it’s a familiar [result],” Maine coach Red Gendron said. “But all I know is if we keep playing as hard as we do, sooner or later a couple are going to go in and we’re going to play with a lead instead of trying to crawl back from behind.
“If our team was not battling, if our team was not getting better in its execution, then it would be pretty frustrating for me as their coach. Obviously, I’m frustrated and I’m angry that we’re in this position, but I see the kids in Maine blue getting after it every day.
“I’m angry and disappointed with the outcome, but not with the effort and not with the improvement in our hockey club.”
The Black Bears also got another impressive performance from McGovern who stopped all but Kapla’s shot out of the 27 he faced. He entered the game with an unenviable 0-4-2 mark but had compiled a 2.33 GAA and a .934 save percentage. The game demonstrated exactly why with quick feet and numerous strong pad saves.
The two teams complete their home-and-home series on Sunday afternoon in Orono, which will be Maine’s home opener.
