TROY, N.Y. – The sixth-ranked University of Massachusetts Lowell men’s hockey defeated Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 5-1, on Tuesday night at the Houston Field House. With the win – their fifth in a row – the River Hawks improve to 13-5-3, while the Engineers drop to 3-18-1.
Sophomore Nick Master (Broomall, PA) got the scoring started for the visitors at 8:28 of the opening period. Intercepting a pass in the slot, he ripped home his second goal of the season, past RPI sophomore goaltender Chase Perry (Andover, MN/Wenatchee Wild).
Lowell made it 2-0 at 12:20 of the first, when freshman Kenny Hausinger (Anchorage, AK) finished on the rush at the end of the River Hawks’ first power play chance. Helpers on Hausingers’ fourth goal of the year went to classmate Mattias Goransson (Slottsbron, Sweden) and junior C.J. Smith (Des Moines, IA).
Senior Joe Gambardella (Staten Island, NY) tipped home his 11th goal of the season at 3:12 of the second, just 10 seconds into a man advantage opportunity. Classmate Michael Kapla (Eau Claire, WI) took a point shot that fell to the left side of the net for Gambardella, who flipped a shot off the left post and in.
The River Hawks opened up a 4-0 lead at 13:32 of the second, as junior Jake Kamrass (Atlanta, GA) stuck home his seventh of the campaign, with the lone assist going to senior blueliner Dylan Zink (Madison, WI).
RPI got on the board two minutes later, as junior Viktor Liljegren (Stockholm, Sweden/Fairbanks Ice Dogs) corralled his own rebound at the right side of the net and lifted it over the shoulder of Lowell freshman goalie Tyler Wall (Leamington, ON) for his fourth goal of the year. Freshman Will Reilly (Toronto, ON/Nanaimo Clippers) earned the only helper.
Lowell wrapped up the scoring at 5:19 of the third, when Master set up junior John Edwardh (Calgary, AB) with a feed across the goal mouth for an easy tap-in. Kamrass earned the secondary assist on Edwardh’s ninth of the season.
Both Wall (12-4-1) and Perry (1-11-1) finished with 32 saves. Lowell went 2 for 4 on the power play, while the Engineers wound up 0 for 3.
RPI returns to the ice on Saturday, when it travels to Lake Placid, N.Y. to take on Clarkson University in a non-league game at Herb Brooks Arena (7pm). UMass Lowell travels to New Hampshire on Friday (6pm).
