U.S. college teams go 15-1-1 vs. Canada's teams in exhibitions

UMass-Lowell was the No. 1-rated team in preseason college polls, but the River Hawks, playing in their own rink, could manage no better than a 3-3 overtime tie against McGill.

Scott Wilson scored on a power-play with under 5 minutes left for UMass-Lowell to tie the score at 3 and the overtime was scorelss. The River Hawks did have a goal by Josh Holmstrom waived off because of goalie interference.

Doubt that tie will have any influence on the next polls -- nor should it.

The other U.S. teams went 15-1 against teams from Up North.

The one loss was by RIT, the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York lost 2-1 to Queen's University of Kingston, Ont. This was a case of as goalie standing on his head. Gaels' goalie Kevin Baile had 51 saves and RIT was 0-for-7 on the power play. The loss broke the Tigers' 19-game winning streak against Canadian schools. ... One highlight for RIT, the Tigers killed a five-minute major without allowing Queen's a shot on goal. Shots were 52-26.

For a story on the Gophers's exhibition vs. Lethbridge, go here.

Other notable exhibitions:

* Ohio State, which will be in the Big Ten this season, routed Toronto 9-1. ... Junior Tanner Fritz led the Buckeyes with two goals and two assists. ... "Any time you can go out there and win that's important, but it is how we played that was the biggest take away from this game," said Steve Rohlik, the former UMD assistant who is in his first year as the Buckeyes' head coach. "We played hard and unselfish; our guys executed well today."

* Colorado College beat New Brunswick 5-0. Alexander Krushelnyski had a hat trick for the Tigers, who played three different goalies.

TWO REAL GAMES

In Niagara, there was a real game with some pomp and ceremony. But the home team, the Purple Knights lost 2-1 to the Clarkson Golden Knights. Clarkson is another team in the Ice Breaker.

Niagara raised two banners, one for winning the Atlantic Hockey regular-season title and another for their fourth NCAA appearance, but Clarkson was the better team.

In the other real game, Ferris State, a new member of the WCHA beat Colgate 7-4. The Raiders led 2-0 and 4-3 but the Bulldogs rallied each time. Garrett Thompson got the winner at 5:29 of the third on a power play.