University of Maine
New Hampshire
Five Straight Goals Propel Men's Ice Hockey Past New Hampshire 5-2
12/12/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Blaine Byron (Manotick, Ontario) and Ben Hutton (Prescott, Ontario) each had a goal and an assist in the game, while Devin Shore (Ajax, Ontario) finished with three assists.
Maine improves to 4-12-1 on the season, while UNH falls to 4-10-1.
UNH took a 1-0 lead 4:58 into the first period when Collin MacDonald scored on the rebound of a Dylan Chanter shot from the point. Maxim Gaudreault also assisted on the goal for the Wildcats.
New Hampshire extended its lead to 2-0 at 6:44 of the second period when Chanter fed Shane Eiserman, who in transition beat Maine goalie Sean Romeo (Cary, North Carolina), five hole.
Maine answered right back. After multiple passes in the offensive zone, Dan Renouf (Pickering Ontario) found Hutton on the blueline. He fired a shot that UNH goalie Adam Clark stopped, but the rebound went right to Byron and he fired it into the back of the net. For Byron, it was his team-leading sixth goal of the season.
The Black Bears tied the game just over two and a half minutes later with a power play goal. Byron found Shore in the face-off circle. Nolan Vesey (No. Reading, Mass.) tipped the Shore shot past Clark to tie the game. For Vesey, it was his second goal in as many games.
Maine took the lead at 17:01 of the second period. Jake Rutt (Scarborough, Maine) shot the puck from the blueline and Cedric Lacroix (Shefford, Quebec) redirected to Malcolm Hayes (Atlanta, Ga.) just outside the crease. He shot the puck just inside the goalpost to give the Black Bears their first lead of the night. For Hayes, it was his third goal of the season.
The Black Bears extended their lead to 4-2 3:29 into the third period. Andrew Tegeler (Sewell, N.J.) found Shore who had the initial shot. Clark made the save, but was unable to stop Will Merchant (Eagan, Minn.) who directed the loose puck into the back of the net for his first goal of the season.
Hutton scored Maine's fifth goal of the night at 9:21 of the third period on the power play. A Maine defenseman went to clear the puck, but Shore stole it back and passed with Hutton on the blueline. Hutton then unleashed a shot that found nothing but the back of the net. For Hutton, it was his third goal of the season.
Maine finished the game with a 34-28 edge in shots on goal. The Black Bears were 2-for-3 on the power play, while New Hampshire was scoreless in four opportunities.
Maine goalie Sean Romeo stopped 26 shots in net and improves to 2-8-0 on the season. Clark made 29 saves for UNH and falls to 4-10-1.
The two teams return to action on Saturday, Dec. 13 with a game at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine. Puck drop is set for 7 PM.
