UMASS LOWELL BLANKS NORTHEASTERN, 1-0
Cleve Kinley nets game-winner for River Hawks

LOWELL, MA (Feb. 8, 2007) – Senior D Cleve Kinley (Powell River, BC) scored the lone goal and freshman goalie Nevin Hamilton (Ashland, MA) posted his second shutout within a week as UMass Lowell defeated Northeastern, 1-0, Thursday night in a Hockey East clash at the Tsongas Arena.

The win was the second straight for UML, which improved to 5-19-6 overall and 4-14-3 in Hockey East. The River Hawks enjoy an eight-day hiatus before hosting Merrimack Friday, Feb. 16 (7:00).

Northeastern slipped to 10-14-4 overall (7-11-4 HE) and face Harvard in the 2007 Beanpot consolation match Monday at 5:00.

The victory also put the River Hawks within two points of Providence (6-12-1 HE, 7-18-1) for the eighth and final Hockey East Tournament spot.

The River Hawks allowed a season-low 10 shots on goal, out-shooting the Huskies 27-10, which bested the previous low of 14 in a November 4 win over Merrimack (5-0).

In stopping all 10 Husky attempts, Hamilton has allowed only one goal in 179 minutes, 38 seconds, halting 52 of 53 shots.

Northeastern netminder Brad Thiessen (Aldergrove, BC), the game’s second star, stopped 26 shots, but took the loss. Kinley repossessed the rebound off his own shot and flipped the rebound past NU goalie Brad Thiessen 1:16 into the third period for the game-winner. Freshmen Chris Auger (Belleville, ON) and Jason Bergeron (Ancaster, ON) were credited with assists.

“I thought we played very well from start to finish,” said UML head coach Blaise MacDonald. “We had a lot of guys step up. I thought Nevin Hamilton and Cleve Kinley played spectacular. It was one of those games where Nevin didn’t get a lot of work, but he had to make some key saves. I give Northeastern a lot of credit. They’re a little undermanned and the game was in the balance right down to the very stretch. That’s a credit to their tenacity.”