ORONO, Maine — Junior center Harrison Scott collected a hat trick, including two goals just 23 seconds apart in the second period, to lead the eighth-ranked University of Maine’s hockey team to a 7-2 victory over UMass Lowell and a sweep of the weekend series.
UMaine improved to 16-4-2 overall and 8-3-1 in Hockey East while the River Hawks fell to 7-14-2 and 3-8-1, respectively.
Albin Boija made 18 saves for the Black Bears while Luke Pavicich had 20 stops on 27 shots for UMass Lowell before Edvard Nordlund came on and stopped all five shots he saw.
Scott scored his first goal at the 13:12 mark of the middle period to snap a 2-2 tie, and he extended the lead 23 seconds later before Brandon Holt made it 5-2 at the 15:19 mark.
Bradly Nadeau passes set up Scott’s first two goals.
On the first one, Pavicich made a great save off Nadeau from the low slot, but Nadeau tracked down the rebound at the outer half of the right circle and made a short pass to Scott, who settled the puck and beat Pavicich with a quick wrist shot to the near side past the goalie’s glove.
Josh Nadeau also assisted.
Seconds later, a River Hawk broke his stick at the offensive blue line, and it led to a three-on-two rush for the Black Bears.
Josh Nadeau carried it down the right wing and was checked by a River Hawk.
Bradly Nadeau swooped in to collect the loose puck and fired a pass to the edge of the crease where Scott directed it past Pavicich.
Holt extended the lead by taking the puck along the right boards, spun around to the middle of the ice and flipped a wrist shot through a crowded goalmouth past the screened Pavicich.
UMass Lowell had a golden opportunity to get back into the game when Parker Lindauer was assessed a five-minute major.
But the Black Bears killed it off and added a power play goal by Scott and an even-strength goal by Sully Scholle.
Nick Rheaume staked UMass Lowell to a 1-0 lead just 1:48 into the game with a wrist shot from the right circle, but Ben Poisson tied it up with UMaine’s third shorthanded goal in its last four games as he backhanded home his own rebound.
Donavan Houle supplied UMaine with a 2-1 lead early in the second period, but Owen Cole tied it by jamming the puck past Albin Boija from a scramble in front.
