Feb. 8, 2008

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The Boston University men's ice hockey team (8-14-4, 7-8-3 Hockey East) will look to rebound from its overtime Beanpot loss when it visits No. 17 UMass Lowell (12-9-4, 7-7-4) in an important league tilt on Friday (Feb. 8) at 7 p.m. The teams split their two previous meetings this season with the home team coming out on top each time.

The Terriers are tied with Vermont for sixth place in the Hockey East standings, just one point away from the fifth-place River Hawks. On Nov. 3, BU posted a 7-4 home victory against UMass Lowell on Nov. 3 before falling, 4-3, at Tsongas Arena on Dec. 8.

BU is 19-2-1 in its last 22 games that have taken place in between the Beanpot.

After winning all five of its games in December -- including a championship at the Florida College Classic -- UMass Lowell has gone 3-5-0, but has wins in three of its last five league games. The River Hawks are coming off a weekend that featured a 3-2 home win against Maine on Friday followed by a 3-2 loss at Vermont on Sunday. UMass Lowell is 9-4-1 at home this season.

Sophomore forwards Kory Falite (11g, 9a) and Ben Holmstrom (3g, 17a) each have tallied a team-best 20 points on the year, while junior Mark Roebothan (11g, 8a) is right behind with 19. The River Hawks boast the 11th-ranked defense in the country, allowing just 2.32 goals per game, and their penalty kill ranks 13th, operating at 87.6 percent. Sophomore goaltenders Nevin Hamilton and Carter Hutton have shared the duties between the pipes, combining for a .917 save percentage. Former Terrier assistant Blaise MacDonald is in his seventh season at the helm of the UMass Lowell program.

The Terriers and River Hawks head into Friday's contest having met 79 times since the 1986-87 season. Over that period, BU holds a commanding 55-16-8 (.747) advantage. The Terriers are an even 7-7-2 (.533) in their 16 trips to Tsongas Arena.

Senior Pete MacArthur has played 11 games against UMass Lowell, scoring 10 points on five goals and five assists. In five games at Tsongas Arena, MacArthur has tallied two goals and four assists. Junior Chris Higgins has faced the River Hawks eight times, earning six points on three goals and three assists. Senior forwards Brian McGuirk and Ryan Weston each have two goals and three assists versus UMass Lowell. All three of the goaltenders on BU's roster have faced the River Hawks this season.

The Terriers scored six unanswered goals, including five in the third period, to defeat UMass Lowell, 7-4, at Agganis Arena on Nov. 3. BU gave up goals early in the first two periods and trailed 4-1 midway through the second period, but rallied late to earn the win.

Despite a pair of goals from freshman Nick Bonino, BU dropped a 4-3 road contest to UMass Lowell on Dec. 7 at Tsongas Arena. Higgins scored on the first shift of the game and Bonino recorded his first goal of the game early on in the second period to give the visitors a 2-0 lead. The River Hawks, however, reeled off four unanswered goals and held off the Terriers in the closing minutes to come away with the victory.

Despite holding a 3-2 lead entering the third period against Boston College on Monday in the Beanpot semifinals, the Terriers were edged by the Eagles, 4-3, in overtime. BU will be playing in its first consolation game at the Beanpot since 1994.

Freshman Kevin Shattenkirk is on a four-game assist streak, combining for seven helpers over the four contests, while Bonino has scored a goal in three straight games.