ORONO- The University of Maine men’s hockey team played hard and gritty all weekend long against the defending national champions but the result was much of the same. Erik Foley had a goal and an assist and goaltender Nick Ellis made 32 saves to lead the #6 Providence College Friars to a 4-2 win and a sweep of the weekend series Saturday night in front of 4,090 fans at the Alfond Arena.
After Providence had to go overtime to beat Maine Friday by a final score of 1-0, there was no shortage of offense in the opening period of this one. Foley opened the scoring just 2:57 in on the powerplay only to have the Black Bears Eric Schurhamer answer at the 9:13 mark to make it 1-1. Kevin Rooney restored the one goal lead for the Friars at 16:17 before Maine freshman Brendan Robbins stuffed home a rebound 42 seconds later to make it 2-2.
Providence seemed to take control of the game in the middle period as Brian Pinho scored off a Nick Saracino pass 5:15 in to put Providence up again at 3-2. Maine had two powerplay opportunities in the period but could only manage one shot as fatigue looked to take effect on the Black Bears.
Maine had several chances in the third period down just a goal to tie it. Robbins had a clean breakaway in on Ellis but lost control of it as he tried to make a move allowing Ellis to easily cover up. Andrew Tegeler also beat a Providence defenseman to a loose puck and had a partial breakaway but Ellis made the glove save.
At the four minute mark of the period, Maine goalie Matt Morris looked like he had just kept the Black Bears in the game. After a Maine turnover Mark Jankowski was all alone in front of the net but Morris stopped him and also a followup shot by Foley but the third chance took a deflection off Trevor Mingoia and found a way into the net to make it 4-2 and seemed to completely take the air out of the Black Bear players and crowd as the Friars took all four of the Hockey East points on the weekend.
Maine head coach Red Gendron commented after the game, “We played our tails off all weekend and at no point did we give up. I thought tonight our energy wained in the second period and we just didn’t have the jump. We don’t ever accept results other than victory but it’s pretty difficult for me to fault the effort, the physicality. This weekend was a big time street fight. Very few penalties called, guys finishing checks, battling for loose pucks. Other than the results, it was a great series”.
Morris finished with 34 saves after a 50 save effort on Friday night. Providence was 1 for 2 on the powerplay while Maine was 0 for 3.
Providence improves their overall record to 19-5-4 and 10-3-3 in Hockey East. The Friars will play a home and home series next Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. against UConn.
Maine slips to 7-17-6 and 4-10-2 in conference play and now winless against Providence in their last 12 meetings (0-11-1). Maine hits the road next weekend as they head for South Bend, Indiana for a series with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Friday’s game is at 6:35 p.m. while Saturday’s puck drop is 7 p.m. and both games will be televised on the NBC Sports Network.
