LOWELL, Mass. – No. 12 UMass Lowell opened up a 3-0 lead and held on for a 5-2 win over the Omaha hockey team on Saturday at Tsongas Center.

The Mavericks are now 1-1-0 following their first weekend of the season.  They beat the River Hawks 4-2 on Friday.  UML earned its first win to improve to 1-3-0.

UMass Lowell, trying to avoid its first oh-and-four start in 30 years, put the heat on the Mavericks from the opening faceoff and grabbed its first lead of the weekend at 7:30 of the first period.  John Edwardh got loose in front of the net and banged home a pass from Ryan Dmowski for his second goal of the season.

The River Hawks stretched their lead with goals from Mattias Goransson and Croix Evingson in the first half of the second period, but the Maverick pushed back.  Mason Morelli scored off the rush on a power play, firing a shot past goalie Christoffer Hernberg at 14:05.

The Mavericks drew to within one a little more than four minutes later.  Morelli took a faceoff win from Fredrik Olofsson and zipped a wrist shot toward the Lowell net.  It hit Steven Spinner and deflected over Hernberg's glove hand at 18:32.

UMass Lowell added to its lead in the third when Kenny Hausinger beat Evan Weninger with a sharp-angle shot at 7:47, and Tyler Mueller scored into an empty net from 150 feet for the final tally.

The Mavericks return home to host Arizona State on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-21.

NOTES:

• David Pope played in his 100th career game.
• The Mavericks have now scored a power play goal in each of the first two games.
• UNO did not allow UMass Lowell a power play goal in five shorthanded chances.
• The games against UMass Lowell are the only two UNO will play against a Hockey East team this year.
• With the loss, the Mavericks are now 4-2-0 all-time against the River Hawks.

Three Stars:  1. Evingson (UML); 2. Morelli (UNO); 3. Edwardh (UML)