The team performed better over the succeeding month and won each of their next six games but then played poorly in the middle of November and saw their ranking sink down into the mid-teens.

Entering the final week of the regular season, UMass had a 5-point lead in the conference standings and needed just one point to guarantee itself a share of the Hockey East title.

Instead, the Minutemen lost both games to Boston College by 1-goal margins while Northeastern swept its weekend finale to surge past Massachusetts.

The Minutemen were badly outshot by the Friars in the match, 19–47, but Matt Murray stood tall and held the fort while the offense made the most of its sparse opportunities.

Before the championship game, UMass knew they were mathematically guaranteed to receive a bid to the NCAA tournament but they weren't going to let that slow them down.

Trivigno tied the game just past the midway point and, though he didn't net the winner, he assisted on the final goal that sealed their second consecutive Hockey East Championship.