UML to face Merrimack in HE semifinal
Rivals located about 12 miles apart will do battle in the Hockey East semifinals Friday at the TD Garden in Boston.
No. 5 Umass Lowell and No. 2 Merrimack will lock horns at 7:30 p.m. The winner will advance to Saturday night’s championship game. The programs have had a fierce rivalry since the 1970s when both were Division 2 powers.
Friday’s first game will pit No. 1 Boston University and No. 7 Providence at 4 p.m. ESPN will carry both games.
The River Hawks are 0-2 against Merrimack this season, as the Warriors earned a 5-3 win in Lowell on Feb. 24 and a 2-0 win the next night in North Andover. Umass Lowell is hoping history repeats itself. Last season, Merrimack topped the River Hawks twice in the regular season only to have Umass Lowell skate to a 7-3 playoff win at the Tsongas Center in the quarterfinals.
Umass Lowell advanced to the TD Garden by going on the road and edging Connecticut, 2-1. Goaltender Gustavs Davis Grigals stopped 40 of 41 shots to earn the game’s No. 1 star honor. First-period goals by Blake Wells and Owen Cole staked the River Hawks to a 2-0 lead.
In North Andover, Merrimack and Boston College went into the second overtime without a goal. Finally, Merrimack senior forward Mick Messner broke through to send the Warriors to the Hockey East semifinals for the first time since 2011.
Umass Lowell captured the Hockey East playoff title in 2013, 2014 and 2017. Norm Bazin earned his 25th Hockey East
playoff victory Saturday.
College baseball
Umass Lowell fell 9-3 to the Saint Joseph’s Hawks in the series finale on Sunday afternoon. The River Hawks drop the weekend series 0-3 against the Hawks in Merion Station, Pa.
Seniors Frank Wayman (Horseheads, N.Y.) and Matt Tobin (Poland, N.Y.) led the team (2-12) with two hits apiece. Tobin went 2-2 on the day. Graduate student Gerry Siracusa (Kinnelon, N.J.) had two RBIS with one hit and one run while senior Fritz Genther (Kingston, N.Y.) added two hits of his own.
Graduate student Joshua Becker (Burlington) replaced freshman Nick Dirito (Plymouth) in the first inning and went 3.2 innings with four punchouts. Senior Frankie Venezia (Lyndhurst, N.J.) and sophomore Hayden Duke (Mattapoisett) each went 1.0 inning with one strikeout.
Hall of Fame
The Tyngsboro High School Athletic Hall of Fame Committee is now accepting nominations for its Class of 2023. To be considered for nomination, former athletes must have graduated from Tyngsboro High School a minimum of 10 years ago.
Former coaches, administrators, and outstanding contributors must have discontinued service for a minimum of five years.
To nominate someone, please go to http://bit.ly/thshof23 and fill out the online form. Previous nominees are automatically reconsidered. The Athletic Office may be contacted at 978-649-4210 or email Tom Varnum at thomas.varnum@tyngsboroughps.org. The nomination
deadline is Monday, April 24.
Boys hockey
BISHOP GUERTIN 4, BEDFORD 3
The Cardinals captured the NHIAA Division 1 championship in dramatic fashion when Logan Vogel scored on a penalty shot at SNHU Arena in Manchester.
Taking the puck at center ice, Vogel skated in on Bedford goaltender Evan Johnston. He faked to his backhand and lifted a shot into the net, prompting a wild on-ice celebration.
John Mantone scored BG’S first three goals. BG led 2-0 and then 3-1 before Bedford battled back to force overtime.