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TJ Schweighardt doesn’t look at statistics. But he does look back.
The senior defenseman played in his 100th career game for UMass Lowell last Friday when the River Hawks battled Clarkson in Lake Placid, N.Y.
“It was like a big full circle moment,” he said.
Lake Placid is where he played in his first hockey game, as a 6-year-old for the New Jersey Bandits. He remembers his family driving from New Jersey to New York in their Chevy Suburban.
At that point he had no idea he become a Division 1 athlete and one of the core pieces of a proud Hockey East program.
“I didn’t even know I was going to play D1. I can’t even wrap my head around it yet,” he said after practice Tuesday at the Tsongas Center.
Schweighardt has played in all 14 games for UML this season. He leads River Hawk defenseman in goals (2) and points (7). He’s on pace to smash his most points in a season, having picked up 10 assists as a junior.
He hasn’t been shy to shoot the puck, putting 33 shots on net. Only captain Jay Ahearn, with 40, has put more shots on net than Schweighardt.
He also isn’t afraid to put his body on the line, leading the River Hawks with 21 blocks, even though at 5-10, 182 pounds, he’s one of UML’s smallest defensemen. He smiled each time a stat was read to him.
“I’m having a good year, but it’s all because people around me are doing well,” he said. “I’m just soaking it all in. I don’t think I’ve ever looked at the statistics. I’m just trying to do my job.”
Schweighardt entered UML as part of a nine-person class. Schweighardt, Dillan Bentley and Jack Collins are the only ones left.
“I’m so grateful to be where I am,” he said.
Schweighardt takes great pride in blocking shots, contributing on the power play, whatever it takes to win. Just don’t ask him to pat himself on the back.
“I don’t think I do anything particularly well,” he said humbly, “but I want to be a really well-rounded defenseman. Kind of a Swiss Army knife.”
Head coach Norm Bazin has seen Schweighardt’s game evolve through the years.
“He’s certainly flourishing. His two-way game has gotten stronger. That’s what you see happen when people get older, they get calmer,” Bazin said.
“We all like to promote and reward loyalty. It’s a credit to them,” said Bazin, mentioning Schweighardt, Bentley and Collins.
Schweighardt honed his skills in the United States Hockey League prior to enrolling at UML, suiting up for Cedar Rapids, Omaha and Youngstown. The New Jersey native didn’t know he would play in the USHL, never mind in college.
“Maturity. Calm and confident is a great way to describe TJ,” Bentley said.
Freshman Dalyn Wakely, who leads the River Hawks in scoring, has been named the Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week.
A native of Port Hope, Ontario, Wakely tallied his first career hat trick to fuel UML to a 7-3 victory over St. Lawrence in the team’s second game at the Adirondack Winter Invitational in Lake Placid, N.Y.
He scored a goal in every period. Wakely tallied a power-play goal, an even-strength goal and an empty-net tally. He also won 11-for-21 faceoffs over the weekend. Wakely leads UML with 12 points and his five goals ties him for second.
The River Hawks have a major challenge ahead this weekend, taking on Boston College twice. UML will host the first game on Friday (7:15 p.m.), then the teams will meet again Saturday (7 p.m.) in Chestnut Hill.
It will be their first meetings of the season.
UML (6-8-0, 3-3-0 HE) is coming off a weekend in which it fell 2-0 to Clarkson and then rolled past St. Lawrence.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak in which the River Hawks were held to one goal.
“Overall, Saturday was a rebound effort,” Bazin said. “Everybody wants to have success. It’s great to see pucks go across the line.”
BC (8-5-1, 5-3-0 HE) has won six of seven. The Eagles are led offensively by sophomores James Hagens (9-7-16) and Dean Letourneau (6-8-14). Both are first-round draft picks of the Boston Bruins.
Letourneau struggled as a freshman, but the 6-foot-7 forward is starting to excel.
“I just started to (scout BC). But they’ve always been a great rush, transition, power play team,” Bazin said.
UML has a tough three-game schedule prior to Christmas. After playing 15th-ranked BC twice, the River Hawks will play at 11th-ranked Maine on Dec. 10 at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine.
Bentley and Ahearn, who played three seasons at Niagara, each played in their 100th collegiate games Saturday.
“It goes by quickly,” said Bentley, who collected two goals and an assist vs. St. Lawrence. “To do it in a historic place like Lake Placid was pretty cool.” Making the moment more special for the Peoria, Ill., native was seeing his parents and grandparents in the crowd. … The River Hawks have won 444 faceoffs and lost 426 draws for a percentage of .510. … BC has proven to be a tremendous visiting team, going 5-1-1 away from the Conte Forum. … UML, meanwhile, continues to struggle on Fridays before playing better the next night.
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