According to sources, UMass-Lowell's search committee has narrowed the number of candidates for the head coaching position to two finalists: Tim Whitehead, 35, an assistant at UML for the past 5 years. Tim was an assistant at Maine in 1990-91 and at Middlebury College from 1988-90. Blaise MacDonald, 33, head coach at Niagara University. Blaise is a native of Billerica, MA (where UML's rink is), and was an assistant at BU from 1990-95. He was also an assistant at Lowell under Billy Riley from 1988-90. Well over a dozen coaches applied or expressed interest in the job, but the committee only seriously considered 6 candidates. The committee will interview both of the two remaining candidates once more before announce their decision early next week. - Steve HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.