University of Maine
Vermont
Abbott and Diamond Lead Maine Past Vermont to Complete Weekend Sweep
12/3/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
BURLINGTON, Vt. -- Spencer Abbott (Hamilton, Ontario) had two goals and two assists, while Joey Diamond (Long Beach, N.Y.) added two goals and an assist as the University of Maine men's ice hockey team skated to a 5-2 win over Vermont on Saturday night at Gutterson Fieldhouse in Burlington, Vt. to complete the weekend sweep. Abbott, who had three goals and two assists on Friday, finished the weekend with five goals and four assists for nine points.
Maine improves to 6-6-2 on the season and 5-5-1 in Hockey East play. Vermont falls to 3-10-1 overall, 1-8-1 in conference play.
Maine took a 1-0 lead at 10:30 of the first period with a power play goal. Matt Mangene (Miller Place, N.Y.) had a shot from the middle of the face-off circle that Joey Diamond (Long Beach, N.Y.) tipped past UVM goalie John Vazzano. Spencer Abbott (Hamilton, Ontario) also assisted on the goal for the Black Bears. With the goal, Diamond extended his scoring streak to a career-high seven games.
Maine added to its lead at 14:47 when Diamond skated the length of the ice on a play that developed into a 2-on-1 with Abbott. He kept the puck and fired a shot past Vazzano for his second goal of the period. Will O'Neill (Salem, Mass.) began the play for the Black Bears to pick up the assist.
Maine extended its lead to 3-0 at 6:44 of the second period when Abbott scored his fourth goal of the weekend on a rebound that Vazzano was unable to control from the left post. Diamond and Brian Flynn (Lynnfield, Mass.) both assisted on the goal for the Black Bears.
Maine made it 4-0 when O'Neill, from the far face-off circle made a tape-to-tape pass to Abbott on the blueline. He got a step on the Vermont defense and skated in alone on Vazzano. He fired a shot past him for his fifth goal of the weekend. Brice O'Connor (Londonderry, N.H.) also assisted on the play to extend his points streak to three games.
Mangene gave the Black Bears a 5-0 lead when he fired a shot past Vazzano from the right face-off circle 2:43 into the third period. Flynn and Abbott both assisted on the goal for the Black Bears.
Vermont got on the board when Connor Brickley scored a shorthanded goal. He fired a puck that Maine goalie Dan Sullivan (York, Pa.) stopped, but his momentum carried him into the goal as he lost control of the puck. H.T. Lenz and Brett Bruneteau both assisted on the goal.
Vermont added a goal by Brett Bruneteau at 19:35 to make it a 5-2 final.
Vermont outshot Maine 31-27 in the game. The Black Bears were 2-for-3 on the power play, while Vermont finished 0-for-5.
Sullivan made 29 saves in goal for the Black Bears as he improves to 5-3-2 on the season. Vazzano made 22 saves for the Catamounts. He falls to 0-1-0.
Maine returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 10 when it hosts Boston University. Puck drop is scheduled to 7:30 PM at Alfond Arena.
-U-M-
