Re: UML 2018/2019 Season: Back to Bazin Basics
Here's an article I copied from yesterday's Sun. I can't seem to copy in a working link.
River Hawks soared, but fell short of goal
By Barry Scanlon, bscanlon@lowellsun.com
LOWELL -- This is the second straight season the UMass Lowell hockey team fell short of the NCAA Tournament.
UML hockey season recap
"Hey, 19-13-5 doesn't look incredible," head coach Norm Bazin said, "but I was very proud of the season."
The River Hawks had 13 freshmen -- the most of any team in the nation -- and 12 of them played. On most nights, four of the team's defensemen were rookies, an unusually high number.
Coming off a "tough" 17-19-0 season, Bazin said he believes the 2018-19 River Hawks produced a strong season before being ousted by Boston University in Game 3 of the Hockey East quarterfinals last Sunday.
"I feel better for a lot of reasons," he said. "We had some great highlights."
"In my mind we were three wins away from having an opportunity to play in the second season, the NCAA Tournament," he said.
The River Hawks went 8-7-1 prior to Christmas. After the break, however, they went on a 9-0-1 run which elevated them to being ranked 10th in the nation. Included in that run were 2-1 and 2-0 victories over UMass, the second-ranked team in the nation.
"We were the only team to beat them twice," Bazin said.
The River Hawks also went 2-0-1 in that stretch against Boston College, outscoring the Eagles by a combined score of 10-5.
"In the second half we made a run for it," Bazin said. "We went on that 10-game streak, which I was very proud of. However, you have to win a few more games down the stretch.
It's definitely a maturity thing. You have 12 freshmen and eight were playing full time."
The River Hawks struggled down the stretch, going 2-5-3 in their final 10 games as goals became scarce.
UML will say good-bye to five seniors -- forwards Ryan Dmowski, Nick Master and Connor Wilson, defenseman Avni Berisha, and goaltender Christoffer Hernberg.
"It's a great group of seniors. I thought last year was an off year. I didn't think this year was an off year from the standpoint of moving forward. I thought they improved from last year. I thought the culture was back to where it was previously. And I really like these five seniors. I'm going to miss them," Bazin said.
Junior Ryan Lohin (12-15-27) led the River Hawks in scoring, followed by Dmowski (14-9-23), junior Kenny Hausinger (13-9-22) and sophomore Connor Sodergren (5-16-21).
Lohin opted to skip his senior season and sign a contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Junior Mattias Goransson (4-16-20) led a young defensive corps.
Hernberg (8-6-2, 2.35 goals against average, .915 save percentage) and junior Tyler Wall (11-7-3, 2.09, .921) were excellent in goal.
Several freshmen showed promise, notably forward Reid Stefanson (8-12-20), who finished tied for fifth in scoring, and defenseman Chase Blackmun (5-9-14), who became a huge factor down the stretch.
Also logging major minutes as rookie defensemen were Seth Barton, Jon McDonald and Nolan Sawchuk.
"Once you start a season, it doesn't matter if they're all freshmen or they're all seniors. You got to get a done," Bazin said. "But youth does play a part in it ... when you have inexperience at the blue line. Some of those young freshmen were playing upwards of 18 to 22 minutes. That's too much for a freshmen, to be honest with you."
UMass Lowell, picked to finish eighth in Hockey East by the coaches, finished fourth, just two points out of second place. UML finished fourth in scoring in Hockey East without having a player finish in the top 20 in scoring.
"It was a real team. In the future, would I like to have a scorer in the top 10? Sure. You need a difference maker. Hopefully we get that in the future," Bazin said.
Off the ice, Bazin said the River Hawks have much to be proud of.
The team boasts a grade point average of 3.65, the highest of any UMass Lowell team.
"That's crazy," Bazin said of the GPA.
In his 23 years of coaching, Bazin said the 3.65 GPA was the highest of any of his teams.
As he sat in his office recapping the 2018-19 season, Bazin wishes he was preparing his team for the Hockey East semifinals Friday in Boston.
"It ends quickly," he said.
"The senior class, very honored, very proud to be a part of it," Wilson said. "I remember coming in freshman year, just trying to make a name for yourself. We've all grown so much into what we gave this year. We were contributors. All of them will be my lifelong friends. In my opinion we left the program in a better place."
Here's an article I copied from yesterday's Sun. I can't seem to copy in a working link.
River Hawks soared, but fell short of goal
By Barry Scanlon, bscanlon@lowellsun.com
LOWELL -- This is the second straight season the UMass Lowell hockey team fell short of the NCAA Tournament.
UML hockey season recap
"Hey, 19-13-5 doesn't look incredible," head coach Norm Bazin said, "but I was very proud of the season."
The River Hawks had 13 freshmen -- the most of any team in the nation -- and 12 of them played. On most nights, four of the team's defensemen were rookies, an unusually high number.
Coming off a "tough" 17-19-0 season, Bazin said he believes the 2018-19 River Hawks produced a strong season before being ousted by Boston University in Game 3 of the Hockey East quarterfinals last Sunday.
"I feel better for a lot of reasons," he said. "We had some great highlights."
"In my mind we were three wins away from having an opportunity to play in the second season, the NCAA Tournament," he said.
The River Hawks went 8-7-1 prior to Christmas. After the break, however, they went on a 9-0-1 run which elevated them to being ranked 10th in the nation. Included in that run were 2-1 and 2-0 victories over UMass, the second-ranked team in the nation.
"We were the only team to beat them twice," Bazin said.
The River Hawks also went 2-0-1 in that stretch against Boston College, outscoring the Eagles by a combined score of 10-5.
"In the second half we made a run for it," Bazin said. "We went on that 10-game streak, which I was very proud of. However, you have to win a few more games down the stretch.
It's definitely a maturity thing. You have 12 freshmen and eight were playing full time."
The River Hawks struggled down the stretch, going 2-5-3 in their final 10 games as goals became scarce.
UML will say good-bye to five seniors -- forwards Ryan Dmowski, Nick Master and Connor Wilson, defenseman Avni Berisha, and goaltender Christoffer Hernberg.
"It's a great group of seniors. I thought last year was an off year. I didn't think this year was an off year from the standpoint of moving forward. I thought they improved from last year. I thought the culture was back to where it was previously. And I really like these five seniors. I'm going to miss them," Bazin said.
Junior Ryan Lohin (12-15-27) led the River Hawks in scoring, followed by Dmowski (14-9-23), junior Kenny Hausinger (13-9-22) and sophomore Connor Sodergren (5-16-21).
Lohin opted to skip his senior season and sign a contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Junior Mattias Goransson (4-16-20) led a young defensive corps.
Hernberg (8-6-2, 2.35 goals against average, .915 save percentage) and junior Tyler Wall (11-7-3, 2.09, .921) were excellent in goal.
Several freshmen showed promise, notably forward Reid Stefanson (8-12-20), who finished tied for fifth in scoring, and defenseman Chase Blackmun (5-9-14), who became a huge factor down the stretch.
Also logging major minutes as rookie defensemen were Seth Barton, Jon McDonald and Nolan Sawchuk.
"Once you start a season, it doesn't matter if they're all freshmen or they're all seniors. You got to get a done," Bazin said. "But youth does play a part in it ... when you have inexperience at the blue line. Some of those young freshmen were playing upwards of 18 to 22 minutes. That's too much for a freshmen, to be honest with you."
UMass Lowell, picked to finish eighth in Hockey East by the coaches, finished fourth, just two points out of second place. UML finished fourth in scoring in Hockey East without having a player finish in the top 20 in scoring.
"It was a real team. In the future, would I like to have a scorer in the top 10? Sure. You need a difference maker. Hopefully we get that in the future," Bazin said.
Off the ice, Bazin said the River Hawks have much to be proud of.
The team boasts a grade point average of 3.65, the highest of any UMass Lowell team.
"That's crazy," Bazin said of the GPA.
In his 23 years of coaching, Bazin said the 3.65 GPA was the highest of any of his teams.
As he sat in his office recapping the 2018-19 season, Bazin wishes he was preparing his team for the Hockey East semifinals Friday in Boston.
"It ends quickly," he said.
"The senior class, very honored, very proud to be a part of it," Wilson said. "I remember coming in freshman year, just trying to make a name for yourself. We've all grown so much into what we gave this year. We were contributors. All of them will be my lifelong friends. In my opinion we left the program in a better place."
