Lowell is a hockey town. If you’ve ever stood in the Tsongas Center on a Friday night, hearing the "River Hawk" chant bounce off the rafters while the smell of overpriced popcorn and cold rink air mixes in your lungs, you know exactly what I mean. But honestly, Lowell River Hawks hockey feels different this year. It’s gritty. It’s unpredictable.
Right now, we’re looking at a team that’s basically the definition of "topsy-turvy." One night they're taking down ranked giants, and the next, they're fighting tooth and nail just to stay out of the Hockey East basement. As of mid-January 2026, the River Hawks are sitting on a 9-13-0 record. Does that look amazing on paper? No. But stats are liars. If you’ve actually been watching the games, you know Norm Bazin’s squad is playing a brand of "heavy" hockey that makes life miserable for everyone else in the conference.
The January Surge: Taking Down the Big Dogs
The most recent proof of life came just last night. January 16, 2026. The River Hawks walked into Agganis Arena—a place where dreams usually go to die—and absolutely stunned No. 20 Boston University.
It was a classic UMass Lowell performance. They fell behind 2-0 early. Most teams would fold under the pressure of a BU home crowd, but this group doesn't really do "folding." They stormed back with three goals in the second period, eventually forcing overtime. That’s when Nate Misskey, a freshman defenseman who's been playing way beyond his years, channeled his inner Bobby Orr. He broke up a BU chance, grabbed the puck, and wrapped it around the net for a 4-3 walk-off winner.
That win followed a massive road victory against No. 10 UConn earlier in the month. It's weird. They have an overall losing record, yet they keep knocking off ranked opponents. It's like they only show up when the stakes are high enough to be terrifying.
Why the Record is Deceiving
You can’t just look at the 9-13-0 mark and assume they’re bad.
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- The Schedule is Brutal: They’ve faced Western Michigan (when they were No. 2), Providence, and BC.
- One-Goal Games: A huge chunk of their losses are by a single goal or empty-netters.
- The Youth Movement: This roster is packed with freshmen and sophomores who are still figuring out how to play "Lowell Hockey."
The Stars Leading the Charge
If you’re looking for the heartbeat of this team, start with Dillan Bentley. The senior forward has been a scoring machine, leading the team with 10 goals and 17 points through 19 games. He’s got that "senior urgency" that you only see from guys who realize their college window is slamming shut.
Then there’s Jay Ahearn. He’s a graduate student, a veteran who brings a certain level of calm to the ice. He’s got 13 points on the season and has a knack for being in the right place during power plays.
But for my money, the most exciting player to watch right now is Jak Vaarwerk. The junior forward is basically a puck magnet. In that BU game, he had a goal and an assist, including a buzzer-beater at the end of the second period that completely flipped the momentum. He’s currently tied for second on the team in points with 13.
The Wall in Net
Between the pipes, things have been a bit of a rotation. Samuel Richard, the senior, got the nod against BU and stopped 31 shots. He’s got a .910 save percentage, which is solid considering the quality of chances he faces. On the other hand, freshman Austin Elliott has shown flashes of being the future. He’s got a 2.79 GAA, but in Hockey East play, he’s been a brick wall with a .915 save percentage.
The Norm Bazin Factor
You can't talk about Lowell River Hawks hockey without talking about the man behind the bench. Norm Bazin is in his 15th season. That’s an eternity in college sports.
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Bazin’s system is legendary for being "boring" to opponents—and that’s a compliment. He wants a 2-1 game. He wants his players to block shots until their shins are bruised purple. In the BU win, 13 different Lowell players blocked at least one shot. That’s not a stat; that’s a lifestyle.
"It’s a tough league and we proved it tonight again," Bazin said after the BU game. "We did not have the start we were looking for but I thought we got a little bit better as the game wore on."
That "getting better as the game wears on" is the hallmark of a Bazin team. They outwork you. They out-grit you. They wait for you to make a mistake in the third period and then they pounce.
What to Watch for the Rest of 2026
The road ahead isn't getting any easier. They have a rematch with BU tonight at the Tsongas, and then a gauntlet featuring Boston College, Northeastern, and Maine.
If the River Hawks want to make a run in the Hockey East tournament, they have to fix the special teams. Their power play is hovering around 19.5%. That’s... fine. But "fine" doesn't win championships in this conference. They need more production from guys like Lee Parks and Libor Nemec, who have the talent but haven't consistently found the back of the net lately.
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Also, keep an eye on the freshman Dalyn Wakely. He was an Edmonton Oilers draft pick and has 13 points already. If he hits another gear in February, Lowell becomes a very dangerous dark horse in the playoffs.
How to Support the River Hawks
If you're a local or a student, get to the Tsongas Center. There is nothing like a packed house in Lowell. The tickets are affordable, the hockey is elite, and the atmosphere is genuinely one of the best in New England.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the Schedule: Use the official GoRiverHawks site to track the remaining home games.
- Watch the Standings: Hockey East is tight. A two-game win streak can jump a team from 9th to 5th place in a weekend.
- Follow the Freshmen: Watch Nate Misskey (#13) and Dalyn Wakely (#14). These are the guys who will be the faces of the program for the next three years.
The 2026 season might feel like a roller coaster, but that’s the beauty of it. This team isn't the most talented in the country, but they might be the hardest to play against. And in March, "hard to play against" is exactly what you want to be.