Northfield, Vt. (February 28, 2026) — UMass Boston men's ice hockey saw its Little East Conference championship hopes dashed in the semifinals at Kreitzberg Arena, falling 6-0 to Norwich Friday night. 

The 2025 Little East Conference Semifinals carried high stakes for both sides, but it was Norwich who seized early momentum, opening the scoring at 12:44 of the first period on an even-strength finish by Ben Van Waterschoot. UMass Boston managed eight shots on goal in the opening frame but could not beat Norwich goaltender Sean Molu, trailing 1-0 after 20 minutes. 

Norwich doubled their lead midway through the second period, with Matt Harvey scoring at 9:36, and Jed Brazo making it 3-0 at 12:19, which prompted a change in net for the Beacons. Despite a surge of 13 shots on goal in the period, UMass Boston's offense remained stymied. Norwich's depth continued to show in the third, as Zach Ophoven netted two goals—one at even strength and another on the power play—while Charles Bertrand capped the scoring at 9:25. The Beacons were held scoreless despite 31 shots on goal throughout the contest. 

On a night when offense was hard to come by, Dylan Robbins (New York, N.Y., USA) and Michael Lynch (Stoneham, MA, USA) led UMass Boston with five shots apiece, while Robbins also paced the team with eight faceoff wins. Defensively, Tyler Drummond (Baldwin, N.Y., USA) and Steven Spetz (Oak Ridge, N.J., USA) each recorded three blocked shots as the Beacons battled to slow a relentless Norwich attack. 

Norwich controlled possession for much of the night, winning 43 of 69 faceoffs and outshooting UMass Boston 69-55 overall, with a 34-31 edge in shots on goal. The Beacons went scoreless on two power-play opportunities and finished with 12 penalty minutes. Attendance for the semifinal showdown at Kreitzberg Arena was announced at 1,509.