UMass pounds No. 1 BU

Boston University's stay atop the national rankings will likely be a short one.

Alex Berry scored a pair of goals and Cory Quirk added a goal and an assist, helping Massachusetts stun the top-ranked Terriers, 5-1, last night at the Mullins Center in Amherst.

Paul Dainton finished with 30 saves for the 20th-ranked Minutemen (5-2-1, 3-2-1 Hockey East), who spoiled BU's first game since climbing to the top spot in the national rankings this week.

It marked just the second time UMass had knocked off the nation's top-ranked team. The last time the Minutemen turned the trick was when they beat Maine, 2-1, Jan. 28, 1995.

Quirk got UMass started when he beat Grant Rollheiser (21 saves) at 7:03 of the opening period. Berry got his first at 11:21 of the period.

Matthew Irwin made it 3-0 midway through the second period and Dainton made it stand up.

Zach Cohen got BU (6-3-0, 3-2-0) on the board at 2:27 of the third period, but Scott Crowder scored just 1:06 later to restore the Minutemen's three-goal edge.

BU came up empty on both of its power-play opportunities against the potent UMass penalty killers. The Minutemen have killed off 27 consecutive penalties.

UMass-Lowell 8, UNH 3 - Kory Falite collected his first career hat trick and freshman Matt Ferreira scored twice to lead the host River Hawks (4-4-0, 2-2-0 Hockey East) to an upset of the sixth-ranked Wildcats (4-3-3, 2-1-2).

"We think Kory Falite is one of the top players in the league and he played terrific tonight," River Hawks coach Blaise MacDonald said. "You need your key players to play well in these kind of games and we certainly got that."

After Danny Dries scored just 2:02 into the game to put UNH ahead, UMass-Lowell erupted for three goals in the next 7:02, with Sammy D'Agostino scoring just 22 seconds after Dries's goal.

Nevin Hamilton finished with 37 saves for UMass-Lowell.

NU 5, Vermont 3 - Ryan Ginand scored twice and the No. 7 Huskies (7-1-2, 5-1-1 Hockey East) held off the 15th-ranked Catamounts (4-3-2, 1-3-1) in Burlington, Vt.

Tied, 1-1, entering the second period, NU struck quickly. Steve Silva got his first of the season at 2:13 and Ginand added his fifth just 1:22 later. Ginand added his sixth goal in the third period.

Merrimack 5, BC 5 - John Jamieson got his first two collegiate goals and Chris Barton scored with 3:25 remaining to help rally the Warriors (3-4-2, 1-3-1 Hockey East) to a tie with the fifth-ranked Eagles (5-3-1, 3-2-1) in North Andover.

Brock Bradford (three goals) scored with 51 seconds left in the second period to put BC ahead, 5-3, entering the final period, but Joe Cucci scored 1:44 into the third period to get Merrimack within one and Jamieson beat John Muse 44 seconds later to tie it. BC outshot Merrimack, 5-2, in overtime, but couldn't get one past Joe Cannata (29 saves).

Harvard 5, Clarkson 1 - Nick Coskren scored twice, Joe Smith had a goal and an assist, and Michael Del Mauro scored his first collegiate goal as the Crimson (3-2-0, 3-2-0 ECAC) broke out to a 3-0 first-period lead and downed the visiting Golden Knights (2-3-2, 1-2-0).

Coskren's two goals gave the senior forward four this season, equaling his career high for a season, which he had as a freshman.

Maine 3, Providence 2 - Jeff Dimmen broke a 2-2 tie at 11:41 of the third period and Scott Darling's 35 saves helped the visiting Black Bears (5-3-0, 2-2-0 Hockey East) get past the Friars (2-6-1, 0-5-1).

Dartmouth 4, St. Lawrence 3 - Adam Estoclet scored 3:54 into overtime, lifting the host Big Green (3-2-0, 3-1-0 ECAC) past the Saints (4-3-1, 1-1-1). Dartmouth goalie Jody O'Neill finished with 42 saves, 16 in the third period.

Quinnipiac 6, Union 3 - Bryan Leitch had a hat trick and assisted on two goals to lead the visiting Bobcats (3-4-1, 1-2-1 ECAC) past the Dutchmen (4-3-1, 1-2-0).

Bentley 5, Mercyhurst 2 - Jeff Gumaer scored twice and the visiting Falcons (3-4-0, 2-2-0 Atlantic) jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one period and held on to beat the Lakers (1-8-0, 1-2-0).

Air Force 1, Holy Cross 0 - Jeff Hajner scored with 30 seconds left in overtime, lifting the 13th-ranked Falcons (9-0-0, 7-0-0 Atlantic) past the host Crusaders (2-5-1, 2-4-1).

AIC 5, Sacred Heart 4 - Tom Mele scored his second goal at 1:45 of overtime, lifting the host Yellow Jackets (2-7-0, 2-5-0 Atlantic) past the Pioneers (1-6-2, 1-4-2).