Foxborough's Derek Arnold Instrumental in UMass Lowell's Hockey East Championship

For the first time in 29 years, UMass Lowell is Hockey East champions and Foxborough's Derek Arnold played a key role in the River Hawks' title run.

Arnold, a Foxborough native and junior at UMass Lowell, scored the lone goal midway through the third period to lead the River Hawks to a 1-0 Hockey East Championship win over Boston University Saturday at Boston's TD Garden.

Arnold scored the game-winner at 11:09 into the third period on a 3-on-2 break, according to UMass Lowell athletics. Arnold took a pass from Ruhwedel, which deflected off a teammate's skate. He swerved around the left of the cage and wrapped past sprawling freshman goalie Sean Maguire.

Arnold's goal gave UMass Lowell its first Hockey East title in 29 years. The win was also the fifth straight and 11th in the last 12 games for the River Hawks to improve to 26-10-2 and matched a Division I-era record for wins in a single season, according to UMass Lowell athletics.

On March 15, Arnold netted another game-winner - this one 1:50 into overtime to lift the No. 1 River Hawks over No. 8 Maine, 2-1 - in the Hockey East Tournament quarterfinal round.

This season, Arnold has played in 36 games, scoring 11 goals and gathering 16 assists for 27. As a sophomore, he appeared in 38 games with 34 points, 17 goals and 17 assists.

Arnold and UMass Lowell enter the NCAA Tournament as one of the bracket's number one seeds and will meet No. 4 Wisconsin Friday at 4:30 at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, N.H.

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