The University of Maine men’s hockey team swept the Merrimack College Warriors by scores of 4-3 and 5-3 last weekend at Lawler Arena in Andover, Massachusetts. Complete efforts on both nights by a slew of Black Bear players, including third-year captain Devin Shore, first-year wing Nolan Vesey and second-year forward Brian Morgan propelled Maine over their Hockey East conference rival.
UMaine takes down Merrimack
Third-year forward Devin Shore tallied a goal and an assist, and first-year wing Nolan Vesey notched a pair of assists to lift the University of Maine men’s ice hockey team over Merrimack College 4-3 Friday night in Andover, Massachusetts.
The Black Bears jumped out to a three goal lead in the second period before Merrimack would tally a goal and eventually battle back into the contest. Second-year goaltender Matt Morris stopped 26 pucks for Maine to secure the victory.
Maine’s first two goals came just 49 seconds apart in the opening period. Fourth-year assistant captain Stu Higgins won a faceoff and swept the puck to second-year wing Brady Campbell. Campbell skipped the puck back to first-year defender Mark Hamilton, who sent a slap shot from the point just inside the post for his first career goal, giving the Black Bears a 1-0 edge.
Skating up ice after the ensuing faceoff, second-year forward Brian Morgan chipped a pass to third-year wing Steven Swavely, who sent a wrist shot at Merrimack fourth-year netminder Rasmus Tirronen. Tirronen was unable to save the shot cleanly, and the puck bounced out to third-year defender Ben Hutton, who was trailing on the play. Hutton recovered the puck and pushed it by Tirronen for a 2-0 Black Bear lead.
Shore would score his 11th goal of the season for a 3-0 Maine lead early in the middle period. Battling for possession along the boards Vesey found second-year defender Dan Renouf who passed up ice to Shore, who was all alone in front of the Merrimack net. Shore deked left and before moving to his backhand and clapping the puck past Tirronen to lift the Black Bears to a 3-0 advantage.
Merrimack stormed back and notched a pair of consecutive goals to keep play competitive. Third-year forward John Gustafsson stole the puck in the Black Bears zone and wristed an unassisted goal by Morris to inch the Warriors closer at 3-1.
First-year forward Jace Hennig would find the back of the net before the end of the period for the Warriors as well. First-year forward Mathieu Tibbet skated into the slot and clapped a shot at Morris’ five hole. Morris tried to cover the puck but it squeaked through, and Hennig was there for Merrimack to poke the puck in and tighten the score at 3-2.
Maine’s third-year wing Will Merchant would tally the Black Bears game winning goal on a spectacular assist by Vesey. Vesey freed the puck with an aggressive forecheck steal from a Merrimack defender. Vesey chipped the puck into Merchant as he skated through the slot and wristed a shot over the glove of Tirronen and into the back of the net for a 4-2 Black Bears lead.
The Warriors would pull Tirronen in the final minute of the third period. Third-year wing Brian Christie found the back of the net for Merrimack with 17.8 seconds remaining in the contest, trailing just 4-3, but the Warriors couldn’t find the back of the net in the final seconds.
Team effort completes sweep
The Black Bears battled back from a two goal deficit early in the second period to defeat Merrimack 5-3 on Saturday afternoon. Maine tallied four consecutive goals in the middle period to beat out the Warriors and their aggressive start to the contest. Morris earned the start again for the Black Bears and stopped 28 shots to lift Maine.
Merrimack tallied two goals within 46 seconds of each other early in the second period, the first coming on the opening shift just 16 seconds in. Skating up ice after the faceoff, third-year forward Ben Bahe crossed the puck across the slot to second-year wing Hampus Gustafsson. Gustafsson skated into the left faceoff circle and wristed a shot top shelf on Morris to give Merrimack a 1-0 lead.
Hennig scored his 10th goal of the season and second of the weekend moments later. First-year forward Brett Seney passed to Hennig, who was posted up in the center of the slot. Hennig sent an initial shot that deflected off the chest of Morris and directly back into the slot at Hennig. Then, Hennig faked to his left and deked back to his right, clapping a backhand shot by Morris to extend the Merrimack lead to 2-0.
Maine responded with four consecutive goals before the end of the period, beginning with one from third-year wing Steven Swavely. Second-year defender Dan Renouf sent a slap shot from the point at the Merrimack net. In front of the Warriors netminder Rasmus Tirronen was Swavely, who deflected the puck into the back of the net from the slot to cut the Merrimack lead in half at 2-1.
The game tying goal for Maine came on the power play from first-year forward Cedric Lacroix. Second-year defender Eric Schurhamer sent a pass behind the net to Lacroix. Lacroix hesitated, and then skated in left of the crease and snuck the puck between Tirronen and the post to knot the score at 2-2.
Maine took the lead on a spectacular backhand shot by second-year forward Brian Morgan. Merrimack cleared the puck from their defensive end to mid-ice, where third-year defender Conor Riley corralled the puck. He chipped a quick pass to Morgan who skated in just right of the slot with speed. Morgan was shielding the puck from a Warrior defender as he neared the net when he unexpectedly sent a shot backhand off the shoulder of Tirronen and into the back of the net for a 3-2 Black Bear lead.
First-year wing Nolan Vesey capped off the Black Bears scoring in the second period. Shore skated up ice with speed and left the puck at the point for third-year defender Ben Hutton. Hutton grabbed the puck and skated into the slot, crossing the puck just before the crease to Vesey, who cut in from the left faceoff circle and slapped the puck into the back of the net for a 4-2 lead.
Gustafsson notched his second goal of the contest on the power play to bring Merrimack closer, but they were unable to climb back from the two goal deficit. Second-year wing Blaine Byron would tally an empty net goal late in the final period to secure the 5-3 win for Maine.
On the weekend, Morris improves to 6-6-2 in net for Maine and Tirronen falls to 10-9-2 for Merrimack.
Maine improves to eighth place in the Hockey East conference and returns to action next weekend at home in a pair of games against Northeastern. Puck drop on Friday is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.