Providence just smoked UMass-Lowell, 7-0, in the first HE quarterfinal game. Not much to tell, the Friars led 1-0 after one despite outplaying UML badly and then exploded for 4 in the second. Mark Richards was superb in net for UML as PC outshot the Chiefs something like 44-14. Friars played well the whole game and earned a trip to the Garden. PC goalie Brad Mullahy posted the first shutout by a Friar netminder in the HE playoffs since The Octopus (Terreri) did it in 1985. UMass-Lowell ends its season at 11-19-4. Providence is now 21-12-2. One more win would give PC its 4th straight 22-win season. --- Mike Machnik [log in to unmask] mikem@{beanpot,bubba}.ma30.bull.com