Box Score

BOSTON, Mass. -- Tim Richter scored to give the University of Massachusetts-Boston a two-goal edge with 2:14 left in the third period, and the Beacons held on in the final moments for a 4-3 victory over the University of New England men's ice hockey team in ECAC East League action Friday evening at the Clark Athletic Center.

UNE senior Scott McManaman (Amherst, Nova Scotia) found the back of the cage with 1:04 remaining on the clock to make the deficit one -- as the Nor'easters skated on a power play and with an empty net -- but the visitors could not register an equalizer before time expired.

Anthony Fitti put the hosts on the board early in the first frame, notching his ninth score of the season 1:51 into the contest. Steven Weston doubled the UMass Boston cushion 64 ticks later, and the 2-0 margin held for the rest of the period. The Beacons finished the stanza with a 14-2 advantage in shots.

UMB's Mike DeGrazia increased the difference to 3-0 1:57 into the second, before UNE first-year Fred Hein (North Reading, Mass.) broke through at the 4:33 mark to cut into the Beacons' lead.

At 8:07 of the middle period, Big Blue first-year Zeth Zielinski (Woonsocket, R.I.) trimmed things to 3-2 -- a score that would hold up for the nearly 30 minutes of play that followed.

Alex Scola made 15 stops in the third to end with 27 on the night, helping UMass Boston (11-8-3) even its league ledger at 7-7-1.

For UNE (3-16-2, 1-14-0 ECAC East), sophomore Ian Edwards (Linden, Mich.) posted 32 saves, including several in the final period to keep the Beacons in check. Six players recorded one assist each to aid the offensive efforts.

Both teams are back at it Saturday, as UMB hosts the University of Southern Maine and Nor'easters pay a visit to Babson College (4 p.m.).