Box score

Junior captain Tyler McNeely kept NU's powerplay scoring streak of five games intact despite losing to #13/12 UMass Lowell, 3-1, at Tsongas Arena on Saturday evening. Freshman goaltender Chris Rawlings made 30 saves for the second-consecutive game in the backend of Northeastern's Hockey East weekend opener.

McNeely's power play conversion was his first since hosting New Hampshire on Nov. 1, 2008 and sixth-career, overall.

Northeastern's rookies continue to rack up points as Jake Newton and Garrett Vermeersch each assisted on McNeely's goal, marking their second-career helpers. Three of Vermeersch's four-career points have come on the powerplay. The Macomb, Mich. native is now tied with senior Chris Donovan and junior Wade MacLeod in overall points.

“I thought we had a lot of momentum going into the third period,” head coach Greg Cronin said. “Out of the last five times we've played UMass Lowell, I think this one was the closest. We just couldn't convert on our opportunities and I think their goaltender (Chris Hutton) was excellent.”

A physical opening period with great team defense on both behalves yielded a scoreless stanza. It marked the first occasion this season that neither team has scored in any period in an NU contest. The latter half of the second period hosted a four-minute stretch of four-on-four action. The Huskies sculpted a couple opportunities around the 9:00 mark, but could not connect.

Each team was sent off three times in the first period while the River Hawks registered a number of attempts towards the tail end to own a 10-7 edge in shots.

UMass Lowell jumped on the board first at 4:47 of the second period on a tally from Riley Wetmore. Maury Edwards delivered the initial shot from about 20 feet out and Wetmore poked his stick through traffic to tip it past Rawlings for the 1-0 edge.

After sophomore Matt Lipinski was flagged for roughing at 17:24, junior Greg Costa followed 11 seconds later with a cross-checking call to give the River Hawks 1:49 worth of five-on-three. UMass Lowell capitalized at 18:56 to pad its lead, 2-0. David Vallorani finished off UML's cycle with a one-time wrist shot from the near post while Nick Shaus delivered the scoring assist with Chris Auger.

McNeely ended NU's scoring draught at 8:03 of the third period. Barry Goers was sent off for hooking at 6:24 as one of eight UML penalties. Freshman Robbie Vrolyk rang one off the post around the seven minute mark, but a McNeely rope from the left beat Hutton top-glove side with help from Newton and Vermeersch.

Paul Worthington added an empty-netter at 19:16 to solidify the 3-1 final.

The River Hawks outshot Northeastern, 33-25.

Northeastern has a bit of a break before hosting Boston University on Friday, Nov. 6 at Matthews Arena. Game time is set for 7 p.m.