ORONO, Maine – Lynden Breen scored an unassisted game-winning goal with one minute, 17 seconds remaining in the third period to lift the #9 University of Maine men's hockey team to a 4-3 win over #12/11 UMass on Saturday night in front of a sold-out crowd at Alfond Arena.
 
The Black Bears jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the game's opening 10 minutes thanks to two power-play goals. The Minutemen pulled a goal back before the first intermission. It was the first of three straight goals for the visitors to take 3-2 lead. A Josh Nadeau power-play goal tied the game at 3-3 before the second break.
 
With the game seemingly destined for overtime, Breen intercepted a pass and recorded his 100th career point with a far post shot for the 4-3 win.
 
#9 Maine 4, #12/11 UMass 3
March 9, 2024 | Orono, Maine
Alfond Arena

NOTABLES

• UMass had the 37-28 lead in shots on goal.
• The Black Bears went 2-for-2 on the power play while UMass was 1-for-3.
• Albin Boija made 34 saves in moving to 8-5-1 on the year ... his 34 saves mark a career-high.
• Maine now has an overall record of 61-28-10 in the all-time series with UMass … the Black Bears are 37-9-2 at Alfond Arena.
• Maine is now 14-9-1 in Hockey East play, reaching 14 conference wins for the first time since going 15-10-2 in 2011-12.
• With third place in the Hockey East standings now locked up, Maine has earned its best conference finish since tying for third place in 2009-10.
• Lynden Breen recorded his eighth goal of the season and his first game-winning goal of the year … he now has 100 career points on 41 goals and 59 assists.

RECORDS

• Maine: 22-10-2, 14-9-1 Hockey East
• UMass: 19-12-3, 12-10-2 Hockey East

UP NEXT

• The Black Bears will host a Hockey East Tournament quarterfinal round game at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 16 at Alfond Arena.