University of Maine
New Hampshire
Byron Nets Two Goals But Maine Falls to UNH 7-4
12/13/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
PORTLAND, Maine – The University of Maine men's ice hockey team fell to New Hampshire 7-4 on Saturday night at a sold-out Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine. The game was the final one of the first semester for the Black Bears.
UNH scored 5:46 into the game when Harry Quast had a shot from the point deflect in off a Maine defender. Matt Willows made it a 2-0 lead for the Wildcats when Matias Cleland stole a clearing pass and fed him the puck.
Maine got on the board just 57 seconds into the second period when Blaine Byron (Manotick, Ontario) scored off a rebound of his initial shot. Brian Morgan (Windham, N.H.) also assisted on the goal. UNH responded right back when Tyler Kelleher scored on a shot from the goal line.
Maine pulled to within one goal when Ben Hutton (Prescott, Ontario) got a pass from Devin Shore (Ajax, Ontario) and fired a shot past UNH netminder Adam Clark from the blueline. Will Merchant (Eagan, Minn.) also assisted on the goal. Cedric Lacroix (Shefford, Quebec) tied the game at 3-3 when he fired home a Bill Norman (Stockholm, Sweden) shot for his first collegiate goal.
Maine took a 4-3 lead at 19:59.9 of the second period. Dan Renouf (Pickering, Ontario) found Hutton just getting out of the penalty box. Hutton was stopped in his shot, but Byron got the rebound and beat Clark just before time expired.
Greyson Downing tied the game for the Wildcats just 51 seconds into the third period. Matias Cleland got the game-winner at 11:59 from Matt Willows. Downing had two more third period goals to get the natural hat trick.
UNH outshot Maine 41-37 I the game. The Black Bears were scoreless in two power play chances, while UNH finished 2-for-4.
Maine falls to 4-13-1 on the season, while UNH improves to 5-10-1.
Sean Romeo made 34 saves and falls to 2-9-0 on the season. Clark made 33 saves and improves to 5-10-1.
Maine returns to action on January 2 and 3, 2015 when it hosts Canisius for a pair of games at Alfond Arena.
