LOWELL, Mass. - The University of Maine men's ice hockey team gave up a pair of second-period power-play goals in a 5-3 loss to UMass-Lowell on Friday in a Hockey East game at Tsongas Arena.

UMass-Lowell and Maine combined for five goals in the first period, including three in a span of 1:19 - Brian Flynn's power-play goal at 10:44 for Maine, followed by Patrick Cey's tying goal at 12:14. Nine seconds after Cey tied the game at 2-2, Tanner House gave Maine a 3-2 lead, and the Black Bears killed off two late penalties in the first period to take the one-goal lead into the second.

Maine put 17 shots on goal in the first 10 minutes of the second period, before the River Hawks capitalized on a 5-on-3 power play. Maury Edwards tied the game at 3-3 at 13:20, and Scott Campbell scored at 14:41 to give the River Hawks a 4-3 lead. Paul Worthington's power-play goal with 1:50 left in the second gave UMass-Lowell a 5-3 lead.

House scored two goals for Maine (12-19-4, 7-16-3 Hockey East), while goalie Scott Darling made 26 saves for the Black Bears. Nevin Hamilton made 32 for UMass-Lowell (16-15-2, 13-11-2).

Maine and UMass-Lowell conclude the regular season at 7 p.m. Saturday at Tsongas Arena.

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The downfall of Maine on Friday night? The penalty kill, which didn't execute in a critical situation Friday night in the loss to UMass-Lowell. After the Black Bears were unable to convert a 5-on-3 early in the second period, Maine was called for two penalties less than 12 minutes into the second - Chris Hahn was whistled for hitting from behind at 11:44, and Lem Randall was whistled for slashing 1:14 later.

That's when UMass-Lowell struck. Down 3-2, Edwards picked up a rebound to the right of Darling and tied the game at 13:20, and with Randall still penalized, Campbell gave UMass-Lowell a 4-3 lead 1:21 later.

Maine gave up a third power-play goal with 1:50 left in the second, Paul Worthington's tally. The River Hawks finished 4 for 8 on the power-play against Maine, which entered Friday's game with Hockey East's fourth-best penalty kill (85.3).

"We need more execution on the penalty kill," Maine Coach Tim Whitehead said. "We have an opportunity and we know exactly what they're going to do. There wasn't a lot of mystery, we just didn't execute and they did a great job executing. But it's basically bearing down tomorrow and staying out of the penalty box. Those are things we didn't do. On the penalty kill, we're not blocking shots and we're not clearing the second shot."

Brian Flynn, who scored a goal for Maine, agreed.

"Special teams, that was the difference in the game," said Flynn, who had a goal and an assist. "That's the game right there. (UMass-Lowell) kept it simple, kept their shots up high and kept working around the net."

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Tanner House scored two goals for Maine, but the Black Bears had two chances hit the post behind UMass-Lowell goalie Nevin Hamilton - Keif Orsini hit the post at 6:50 of the first on a one-timer from Theo Andersson, and Simon Danis-Pepin hit the pipe on the power play at 6:12 of the third.

Ka-ching. If you're a shooter, chances are that the puck ringing off the goal cage an ugly, distinctive sound.

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Maine won't find out its opponent in the Hockey East quarterfinals until after tomorrow night. Boston University defeated Providence 8-2 while Northeastern defeated Boston College 2-1 in overtime, keeping BU one point behind Northeastern, 38-39, entering the final game of the regular season.

UMass-Lowell, meanwhile, clinched the fifth seed in the Hockey East playoffs with the win over Maine and will face either Vermont or New Hampshire in the quarterfinals.

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