Unique season ends for River Hawks
were 5-8, if you told me we’d be in the (Hockey East) championship game with a chance to win, I would have taken it.
“I’m proud of the guys. They battled hard in the playoffs. But there’s no moral victories. I think we’re as good as some of the teams in the tournament, but we’ll have to prove it next season,” he added. “Most of the teams in there are very deserving of their bid.”
Boston College, Boston University and Umass will represent Hockey East in the NCAA Tournament.
UML (10-9-1) went 6-2-1 down the stretch and came close to earning the automatic bid that comes from winning a league playoff title. Bazin’s team went 1-6 following a 25day layoff in January caused by positive coronavirus tests before rallying.
The River Hawks played in the Hockey East championship game for the sixth time under Bazin.
Even in defeat, the River Hawks staged one of the great runs in HE playoff history. After beating Vermont at home, 5-3, UML topped second-seeded Boston University, 2-1, on the road and then ousted top-seeded Boston College, 6-5, in double overtime, again on the road.
The BC victory was the greatest comeback in program history. Down 4-1 with less than 10 minutes left in regulation, UML scored three goals to pull into a 4-4 tie with the topranked team in the nation. BC then scored a powerplay goal with just over two minutes left only to have UML force overtime when Anthony Baxter scored on a long slap shot after the River Hawks pulled their goaltender with over a minute left.
BC thought it had won in the first overtime, but an apparent goal was called off after a long video review due to offsides, setting the stage for Matt Brown to bat in the winning goal in double OT out of mid air, ending the second-longest game in program history.
“I think that’s the best comeback I’ve ever been proud of,” Bazin said. “In 24 years. That’s something I’ll remember for a long time.”
UML became only the seventh seed to advance to the HE championship game. The River Hawks were trying to become the first team to defeat the No. 1, 2 and 3 seeds.
The River Hawks fell 1-0 to the Minutemen on Saturday. With 7:12 left in the third period, Lucas Condotta thought he stuffed in a rebound at the right post to pull the River Hawks even. It was a wild scramble in front, as Condotta and linemates Josh Latta and Austin O’rourke were all on the doorstep of goaltender Filip Lindberg with Umass defenders also milling about.
It was called no goal on the ice. After a lengthy video review, the call on the ice stood. The referees said the replays were inconclusive because the puck was not visible.
Bazin said Hockey East sent him an overhead view of the play on Sunday, something he appreciated.
“You can’t tell. The goalie is in his net but you can’t see the puck. I really felt like we needed that to change the momentum,” Bazin said Sunday.
After Saturday’s game, Bazin talked with reporters via Zoom.
“I’m proud of the guys in that locker room. I think we battled all playoffs long. That goal review was probably the difference for us. I think we would have gotten a second wind had that gone our way.
“Our guys are dejected, but they shouldn’t hang their heads. We didn’t come here to participate. We came here to win a championship,” Bazin said. “And we came up short.”