Niko Hildenbrand scored a pair of goals and Matt Murray recorded a 30-save shutout to lift UMass to a 3-0 victory over UMass-Lowell in a Hockey East contest Saturday night at the Mullins Center.
The shutout was the first for the Minutemen against Lowell since 1970. UMass improved to 13-16-2 overall, 7-12-2 in Hockey East.
“Before the weekend I told the group, I think we’re ready to take a step forward,” said UMass head coach Greg Carvel. “It was a big step forward for us, a real solid 60 minutes for our group. I thought in the first period we were very good, scored the goal, I didn’t think it would be the only goal of the game, but we played really solid for 60 minutes. I don’t think either team had a ton of momentum at any time. We checked well, played heavy and competed well.”
UMass opened the scoring 6:49 into the first period. After sophomore Jake McLaughlin’s initial shot from the point was stopped, Hildenbrand knocked in a loose puck in the crease for his seventh of the season. Sophomore Griff Jeszka, who sent a pass up the wall to McLaughlin out of the corner, earned his first assist of the year.
Phillip Lagunov made it 2-0 with an empty-net goal with 3:26 left in the third period, and Hildenbrand added another empty-netter to seal the deal with 44 seconds to play for the 3-0 win.
UMass is back in action Thursday when it welcomes Boston College to the Mullins Center.
NMH hoops win
Nate Laszewski poured in 28 points and Northfield Mount Hermon School built an early double-digit lead it did not relinquish in a convincing 91-74 victory over South Kent School Saturday at Forslund Gymnasium in Gill.
Laszewski became the sixth player in program history to reach the 1,000-point club. The Notre Dame-bound forward added four rebounds and a pair of assists.
The Hoggers (23-3) jumped out to an early 16-4 lead and carried a 56-44 advantage into halftime.
Noah Kirwood tossed in 19 points and 12 assists, while Ryan Greer scored 12 points to go with five assists and five boards. Calvin Whipple joined them in double figures with 11 points.
Deerfield results
It was a clean sweep for the Deerfield Academy swimming and diving teams on Senior Day, when the Big Green defeated both NMH and Hotchkiss School in boys’ and girls’ action Saturday in Deerfield.
The boys’ team defeated NMH (74-22) and Hotchkiss (59-41), while the girls’ team was also victorious over NMH (73-28) and Hotchkiss (58-44).
• Elsewhere, the girls’ hockey team extended its winning streak to three games with a 5-1 win over Berkshire School. The Big Green improved to 9-9-3 overall on the season.
The boys’ hockey team dropped a 3-0 decision to Avon Old Farms.
• In other action, both basketball teams suffered defeats Saturday. The boys were edged by Phillips Exeter Academy, 41-39, and the girls dropped a 75-39 decision to Loomis Chaffee School.
FCHA Mites Green
Behind five goals and three assists from Stefan Flaska, Franklin County Hockey Association Green captured a 13-8 win over Westfield in a Greater Springfield League Mites hockey game Saturday at Collins-Moylan Arena in Greenfield.
Desmond Drake scored twice and dished out three assists, while Nico Siano also had two goals and posted a pair of helpers. Chase Zraunig recorded a hat trick in the win for FCHA, and Asa Bouchard notched the other goal to go with two assists.
Carter Schloat assisted on a pair of goals while Hayden Aurdrey made eight saves in the FCHA net.
Mites Platinum
Grace Laurie potted a pair of goals but FCHA Platinum was edged by Holy Name Green, 8-5, in a GSL Mites hockey game Saturday at the Olympia Ice Center in West Springfield.
Charley Knight tallied and assisted on two more goals, while Vinny Grima and Mylena Prunier also scored for FCHA.
Ryan Capen turned away 21 shots in the FCHA net.
Babe Ruth meeting
Franklin County Babe Ruth Baseball will hold a meeting tonight at 6 on the second floor of St. Kaz on Avenue A in Turners Falls. Enter through the second door to the right on the front of the building.
Meeting topics will include registration sites and times for the 2018 season, new team sponsors, schedule and draft dates, regular-season and tournament team coaching openings, and any new business that arises.
Interested parties and parents are encouraged to attend. For questions, call Tina Crocker at (413) 896-8576 or Joe Mignault at (413) 772-3876.