PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Senior Jon Rheault (Deering, N.H.) scored two goals, including the overtime game winner to lift the Providence College men's hockey team to a 4-3 overtime victory over No. 13 UMass Lowell Friday night at Schneider Arena. With the win, the Friars improved to 8-7-2 overall and 5-3-2 in Hockey East, while the River Hawks (9-5-4, 4-5-4) saw their five game winning streak come to an end.
Sophomore Greg Collins (Hungham, Mass.) played the puck ahead to Rheault who skated down the left wing and cut inside at the top of the circle before rifling a high wrist shot past UML goalie Carter Hutton. Freshman Joe Lavin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) also assisted on the goal.
The River Hawks took a 3-2 lead at the 4:36 mark of the third period on a goal by Kelly Sullivan who took advantage of a rebound in front before lifting the puck past PC netminder Tyler Sims (Fort Wayne, Ind.). Junior Cody Wild (North Providence, R.I.) evened the score as he tallied his fifth of the season at 9:08.
The Friars took the early lead as Rheault pounced on a rebound in front and scored 11th goal of the season. Sophomore Mark Fayne (Bourne, Mass.) assisted on the goal. However, the River Hawks scored the next two goals to take a first-period lead. Scott Campbell tallied his fifth goal of season at 10:51 to even the score, while Mark Roebothan added his 10th to give UML the edge.
The Friars who had the seventh best power-play in the nation coming into the game, used the man advantage to even the score (2-2) at 17:01 of the second period. Sophomore John Cavanagh (Warwick, R.I.) slipped a pass to junior Pierce Norton (South Boston, Mass.) and Norton ripped a wrist shot that beat UML goalie to the glove side.
Rheault, who also scored twice in PC's 5-3 win over No. 5 Michigan State on December 29, has nine goals in the last seven games.
The two teams will close out the home-and-home series tomorrow night at Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Mass., beginning at 4:00 p.m.