There aren’t many rivalries with a history of live turkeys and tennis balls. That’s what makes the battles between UMass Lowell and Merrimack so special.
This rivalry has faded from national prominence in recent years as neither program has spent much time in the national spotlight. But the games still pack a punch, and the history of this rivalry is too good to ignore.
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Much of this stems from when the two teams were D2. The River Hawks and the Warriors first battled in 1971, but it was an extremely one-sided rivalry early on as Merrimack won 13 of the first 15 games. Lowell gained ground as they became more talented, but that didn’t mean they didn’t occasionally resort to gamesmanship to gain an advantage.
In 1979, River Hawks coach Bill Riley attempted to throw the Merrimack goalie off his game by helping the student section place a live turkey in the net. The game ended in a 3-3 tie despite Lowell outshooting Merrimack 3-1, according to Riley. The next week, Riley was visited by animal control, who told him he needed to get his turkey out of the animal impound.
“Oh, that’s not my turkey,” Riley reportedly said. “That’s [Merrimack coach] Tom Lawlor’s turkey.”
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Riley’s hate for Merrimack was legendary. Even once Lowell ascended to national championship glory and the games with Merrimack became more competitive, they were still his most detested rival. During one memorable speech, Riley listed off the things he hated about Merrimack — and got a bit nonsensical at the end.
“I got to the end of my vociferous dialogue and said, ‘I hate Merrimack. I hate their school. I hate the color of their uniforms. I hate the Indian chief on their shirts… I even hate their #$%@& zip code.’ I had just run out of things to hate,” Riley said. “What you have to understand is that we had always looked up to Merrimack, so what I said, I said affectionately.”
The rivalry grew from heartbreakers between the two. In the 1979-80 season, Merrimack defeated Lowell 4-0 in the ECAC D2 final to claim another championship. Lowell would get its revenge two years later in the 1982 D2 Frozen Four. As the fourth seed in the West, the Warriors knocked off first-seeded Mankato State in the regional to reach the Frozen Four. The River Hawks ensured they got no further, defeating their bitter enemies 4-3 en route to a resounding 6-1 win over Plattsburgh State on home ice for their third national title, their second in two years.
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The rivalry still continues today, though it has been much more subdued since the teams advanced to D1. Merrimack fans no longer throw tennis balls onto the ice after the first goal, for one thing. But the legacy of Bill Riley and the fierce fights at Tully Forum linger on. Perhaps Merrimack winning the Hockey East title this year will rekindle old jealous competitiveness of the River Hawks and the rivalry will be revived.
