UMaine blanks Lowell > Goalie Yeats records first career shutout

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LOWELL, Mass. – University of Maine junior goalie Matt Yeats had his struggles early but those appear to be behind him.

Yeats made 21 saves en route to his first career shutout and the Bears received goals from sophomore center Lucas Lawson and junior right wing Niko Dimitrakos to beat the University of Massachusetts-Lowell 2-0 in a Hockey East game at Tsongas Arena Friday night.

Dimitrakos, who was making his 2000-2001 debut after missing the first eight games with a broken left wrist, also received a fighting major and a game disqualificationn as did UMass-Lowell leading scorer Ron Hainsey 6:31 into the third period.

The exchange benefited Maine because first-round draft choice Hainsey (Montreal) is an exceptional blue-liner who logs a lot of ice time and is one of the quarterbacks on the power play. Dimitrakos isn’t in game shape yet. Both will miss their teams’ next game.

Maine is now 4-3-2 overall, 2-1-1- in Hockey East. UMass-Lowell fell to 3-6, 1-6. Maine has won eight in a row against the River Hawks and is 13-0-1 over the last 14 games.

“This was my best game of the season,” said Yeats, who figured that the shutout was his first in three years since his days in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. “I was square [to the puck] on every shot, I stayed compact and I was there when I needed to be.

“The defense did a good job clearing guys from in front of the net. They were just getting shots from the perimeter and I was able to see all of them. That made it easy for me,” added Yeats, who had seven Grade-A stops.

UMass-Lowell coach Tim Whitehead said Yeats’ performance didn’t surprise him.

“He’s a good goalie. He is really steady and composed,” said Whitehead. “And we had a hard time getting into the scoring areas. When we did, we didn’t shoot.”

Lawson’s first-period goal was the result of a heads-up play by Robert Liscak.

Lawson had an initial shot that was saved by River Hawk goalie Cam McCormick but the rebound came out into the low slot to Liscak.

Liscak had an opportunity to shoot but, instead, tapped it back to Lawson who beat McCormick with a screened slapper over the glove side.

McCormick came up with some good saves later in the period to keep his River Hawks within one, including a left-skate save on Brendan Donovan’s power-play rebound.

Dimitrakos scored 4:16 into the second period by directing a Dan Kerluke backhander into the open net.

Maine had a wide two-on-one and Dimitrakos’ long diagonal pass to Kerluke handcuffed him. Kerluke threw a backhander toward the far post from the right circle and Dimitrakos applied the finishing touch from the edge of the crease.

UMass-Lowell had a territorial advantage for the rest of the period as the River Hawks cycled the puck effectively in Maine’s end for sizeable stretches of time.

But the Bears did a good job covering the front of the net and Yeats came up with timely saves.

“It was a crash-bang game. There was no flow to it. That’s their style and they’re tough when they play that way,” said Maine coach Shawn Walsh. “But we’re pleased with it.

“We got the bounces tonight. They had a lot of good chances but couldn’t convert,” said Walsh. “Matt Yeats was very solid and I thought our defense performed well.”

Walsh said junior Eric Turgeon and sophomore Mike Schutte turned in steady performances and his team did a very good job of penalty-killing as it limited the River Hawks to six shots on goal on five power plays.

Maine went 0-for-6 with the man advantage and managed just seven shots.

Yeats and his mates received a break when Laurent Meunier’s sizzling slapper from the top of the right circle rang off the crossbar.

Yeats’ best save of the game came with four minutes remaining in the period when he absorbed Mark Concannon’s redirection off a Dan Fontas centering pass from the right wing.

“He didn’t have much to shoot at. I saw they had two guys in front. I got compact and the puck went under my arm. It almost got through but I closed it to my body,” said Yeats.

Junior McCormick played well in defeat, making 24 saves including 10 Grade-A’s.

BLACK BEARS 2, RIVER HAWKS 0

Maine (4-3-2) 1-1-0 – 2

UMass-Lowell (3-6-0) 0-0-0 – 0

First period – 1. Maine, Lawson 3 (Liscak, Jackson), 11:30. Penalties: UML, Slonina, interference, 8:08; Maine, Dimitrakos, hooking, 16:00; UML, Treille, interfeence, 17:30.

Second period – 2. Maine, Dimitrakos 1 (Kerluke), 4:16. Penalties: Maine, Dimitrakos, slashing, 7:40; Maine, Reimann, slashing, 13:02; UML, Boulanger, holding, 13:02; Maine, Kerluke, interference, 16:54; UML, Boulanger, holding, 18:05.

Third period – no scoring; Penalties: Maine, Janik, tripping, 0:42; UML, Kidney, interference, 2:50; Maine, Dimitrakos, high-sticking and fighting (game misconduct), 6:31; UML, Hainsey, fighting (game misconduct), 6:31; UML, Boulanger, slashing, 7:46; Maine, Janik, interference, 9:25; UML, Slonina, elbowing, 9:44; Maine, Metcalf, cross-checking, 15:14; UML, Slonina, slashing, 18:45; UML, Treille, elbowing, 19:39

Shots on goal: Maine 9-11-6 – 26; Lowell 4-7-10 – 21

High-percentage scoring chances: Maine 5-5-3-13; Lowell 1-7-2-10

Power-play opportunities: Maine (0-6), Lowell (0-5)

Goalies: Maine, Yeats (21 saves); UML, McCormick (24 saves)

Attendance: 2,687