Whether UMass claims its second Hockey East regular season championship is entirely up to the Minutemen.
They control their own destiny for the conference crown sitting in second with eight games remaining, all against teams in the bottom half of the conference. League-leading UMass-Lowell (16-6-3, 12-5-1 HE) has 37 points with six conference tilts left.
UMass (15-8-3, 10-4-2) is at 33 points but has two more league games than the River Hawks to make up the deficit. Each of the two teams behind the Minutemen (Providence and Boston University) have already played 19 games.
“I think we’re in a pretty good spot. We’re just going to have to win, you have to win your games,” UMass coach Greg Carvel said. “There’s no easy wins. Lowell’s not going to lose games easily. We have to win. I think we have to win every game left if we want to be regular season champions.”
Those games include two at home against Maine (tied for last in the league standings with Vermont) on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., a home and home with UConn (No. 6 in Hockey East) Feb. 18 and 19, two road games at Vermont on Feb. 25 and 26 before wrapping the regular season against Boston College (No. 8) on March 4 and 5.
If the River Hawks win their remaining six games, they’ll finish with 55 points. The Minutemen can earn a maximum of 57.
UMass has been chasing UMass Lowell for most of the season since the River Hawks have played more conference games earlier, but it’s a position UMass welcomes after having the twin targets of national champions and Hockey East tournament champions on its back all season.
“There’s always an extra edge when you’re chasing down the top of the pack,” UMass defenseman Colin Felix said.
UMass, ranked No. 9 in the country, has won its last three games after sweeping LIU over the weekend.
HOW NOW BROWN AWARD? – Senior forward Bobby Trivigno and freshman defenseman Scott Morrow are both semifinalists for the 70th Walter Brown Award, the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston announced Monday.
The award, which Trivigno won last year, is awarded annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England.
“It’s great to have a couple, and I think they both have a very good chance at winning,” Carvel said.
Trivigno leads UMass with 30 points in 25 games. He’s scored a career-high 14 goals already. The Setauket, New York, native’s 1.2 points per games ranks 12th in the nation and No. 2 in Hockey East.
“I don’t know how many guys have won that award back to back years, but I don’t know if I’ve seen a better forward in our league this year,” Carvel said.
Morrow, from Darien, Connecticut, has 26 points, which are second among first-year defensemen nation wide. His eight goals are tied for first in the same group.
“It makes me feel very fortunate to have those guys on our team,” Carvel said.
Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylegrbwsk.