ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine men's ice hockey team was defeated by the University Connecticut Huskies, 4-3, on Friday evening in Alfond Arena.
 
First Goal (1-0 Maine): With less than four minutes remaining in the first period, Maine scored the first goal of the evening. Adrien Bisson, who started the attack, scored the go ahead goal. Bisson passed ahead to Keenan Suthers, who played the puck over to Adam Dawe. The senior from New Brunswick dished the puck to a streaking Bisson. At the end of the first period, the Black Bears held a 1-0 lead.
 
Second Goal (1-1): While on their second power play of the evening, the Huskies even the Hockey East bout at one goal apiece. Vladislav Firstov, with traffic in front of Matthew Thiessen, fired a shot from the blue line. The Russian's shot found its way through the traffic and into the back of the net. Four minutes into the second period, Maine's lead evaporated.
 
Third Goal (UConn 2-1): The Huskies third line gave their squad a lead late in the second period. Ryan Tverberg, Hudson Schandor, and Chase Bradley played tic-tac-toe until Tverberg found himself unmarked, with the puck, and in front of the Maine net. With seven minutes left in the middle period, Maine trailed by a goal.
 
Fourth Goal (2-2): Maine evened the Friday night contest with a Grant Hebert goal. After the Black Bears' power play opportunity ended, Hebert scored. David Breazeale fired a pass that deflected off John Mulera. The puck found the RMU transfer, who tied the score at two.
 
Fifth Goal (UConn 3-2): 28 seconds after the Maine goal, the Huskies retook the lead. A turnover at center ice turned into a Ryan Tverberg goal. The third line scored again for UConn, and the Black Bears trailed at the second intermission.
 
Sixth Goal (3-3): Jakub Sirota scored from center ice six seconds after the third period started. Keenan Suthers won the puck, which was picked up by Sirota. The defenseman tossed the puck at the UConn net and caught the Huskies' netminder off guard. The UConn lead was no longer.
 
Seventh Goal (UConn 4-3): Seconds into their power play opportunity, UConn scored a go ahead goal. Jachym Kondelik squeezed the puck between Thiessen's legs and into the net. It eventually became the game winning goal as Maine was unable to find a late goal.
 
Notes: Jakub Sirota, Grant Hebert, and Adrien Bisson were the Black Bear goal scorers. Adam Dawe chipped in with two assists.
 
Matthew Thiessen stopped 32 shots for the Black Bears, while Darion Hanson tallied 27 saves for UConn.
 
Maine went 0 for 4 on their power play opportunities, as the Huskies were 2-4 on its player advantages.
 
The Black Bears blocked 12 shots and won 32 face-offs as a team.
 
Next: The two Hockey East squads will finish the series tomorrow, Saturday evening. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm.
 
-UMaine-