UMass-Lowell’s recruiting run continued this week as three more players joined the upcoming class. Anthony Dowd [https://x.com/RiverHawkHockey/status/2054614814773702842?s=20] will be joining the River Hawks as an incoming senior, transferring from Arizona State. He’s an extremely undersized right-shot defenseman at 5-foot-7 and 152 pounds. Dowd’s journey has been an interesting one. He’s from Point Pleasant Beach, NJ, and grew up playing with the New Jersey Jr. Titans and Manasquan High. In 2020-21, he played seven games with the USNTDP U17 team and then 19 with the Chicago Steel, earning one goal and four assists. Dowd spent the next two seasons with the Steel, playing with the likes of Macklin Celebrini, Adam Fantilli, Mackie Samoskevitch, Josh Doan and Matt Coronato. In his second season, he had 15 points, but his offensive output jumped significantly the next year as he finished sixth on the team in scoring with four goals and 35 assists. He began his career at ASU in 2023-24, and posted 13 points in both his freshman and sophomore seasons. Last year, Dowd struggled immensely offensively, going 21 straight games without a point before ultimately suffering injuries [https://x.com/jakesloan_/status/2027545812268703921?s=20]. He recorded no goals and just four assists in 27 games played. Despite that, he was a key veteran presence for the Sun Devils, often on the starting pair. Félix Plamondon is a big addition to Lowell’s back end, having just won [https://x.com/LHJMQ/status/2044784372906102960?s=20] QMJHL Defensive Defenseman of the Year. The 6-foot-2, 174-pound defenseman is a solid blueliner. He grew up in St-Raymond, Quebec, and has spent the last three years with the Shawinigan Cataractes of the Q. In that time, he’s become one of the Cataractes’ most reliable defensemen and has also steadily increased his point production. Plamondon scored seven goals and added 25 assists this year for 32 points, more than double the 15 points he recorded his first year. He is a very good addition for the River Hawks. Tobias Pitak was the second transfer announced this week, moving from Northern Michigan. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound center is a strong two-way centerman who has represented his native Slovakia internationally, most recently wearing the ‘C’ for them at the WJC. After moving from Slovakia in 2022, he spent time at South Kent School, Selects Academy, the Green Bay Gamblers, and the Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL, where he spent two years. Last season, he played with Northern Michigan and had only 12 points in 25 games but averaged 18 minutes per night towards the end of the year. He should be a solid addition.
