Senior F Riley Wetmore (Swanton, Vt.) scored two goals and junior D Chad Ruhwedel (San Diego, Calif.) scored a shorthanded and assisted on another as UMass Lowell defeated Clarkson University, 6-2, Saturday night in a non-conference hockey clash at the Cheel Arena.
The win extended UMass Lowell's winning streak to five games as it improved to 9-7-1 entering next weekend's pair at the University of Vermont. The River Hawks meet the Catamounts Friday and Saturday at 7:00.
Clarkson slipped to 4-10-5.
Junior G Doug Carr (Hanover, Mass.) stopped 21 shots and improved to 5-6-1. UMass Lowell outshot the Golden Knights 24-23.
UMass Lowell, which scored a pair of third period goals Friday night en route to a 5-1 win over the Golden Knights, killed off all three Clarkson power plays, extending its penalty kill to 23 straight and 29 of the last 30.
UMass Lowell scored three goals in the first half and never looked back, beginning with a shorthanded goal by Ruhwedel, who broke free in a two-on-one with freshman F Ryan McGrath (O'Fallon, Mo.) and fired past Clarkson goalie Greg Lewis 3:44 into the game.
Junior Shayne Thompson (Stittsville, Ont.) doubled UMass Lowell's lead at 10:03 when freshman D Christian Folin (Gothenborg, Sweden) let fly a shot from the left side, leaving Thompson to put back the rebound.
Clarkson nearly cut the lead in half shortly after Thompson's goal when freshman F Christian Finch took a cross-ice pass and shot into the open side of the goal, but Carr miraculously glove saved from the far side.
Immediately after, the River Hawks all but quashed Clarkson's momentum when sophomore Scott Wilson (Oakville, Ont.), stationed behind the net on a delayed penalty, threw the puck into the front of the goal, which bounced off a Golden Knight defenseman and past Lewis.
Ruhwedel and Wetmore combined nicely for UMass Lowell's fourth goal 17 seconds into the second period. Ruhwedel found space up the right side and centered the Wetmore, who one-timed a blast just inside the left post.
Wetmore scored his second 9:10 into the third period when he put back the rebound off a shot from the right side by sophomore D Jake Suter (Lac du Flambeau, Wisc.).
Clarkson pulled two goals back at 10:51 and 15:31 of the third. Carr stopped a shot by freshman F Pat Megannety, but the rebound went to oncoming junior Allan McPherson, who beat Carr to his right side.
Junior F Will Frederick scored Clarkson's second on a similar play that went to a review but was upheld.
Freshman F Adam Chapie (Oxford, Mich.) scored his first career goal on a power play at 17:47 with help from junior F Joe Pendenza (Wilmington, Mass.) and sophomore D Zach Kamrass (Atlanta, Ga.).
Lewis had 18 saves for Clarkson.