Nolan Vesey scored 28 seconds into overtime, and Rob McGovern made 35 saves including several Grade A stops, to lead the University of Maine hockey team to a 4-3 opening season win over UConn Friday night at Alfond Arena in Orono before 3,093 fans.
Tim Doherty put Maine up first just over five minutes in with his first career goal to make it 1-0. Later in the period, after a Connecticut goal by Kasperi Ojantakanen had tied it at 10:12, junior defenseman Rob Michel ripped one through a screen from the center point to give the Bears back the lead at 2-1 at 14:21, and the Bears held that lead after one period.
The teams swapped a pair of goals in the middle period. After the Huskies tied it just 1:15 into the second on a goal from Benjamin Freeman, the Bears came back with a goal from Peter Housakos with just over seven minutes left to take a 3-2 lead into the final period.
Connecticut got the equalizer with just 15 seconds remaining in regulation. With Maine shorthanded because of a bench minor for too many men on the ice, UConn pulled their goalie to give them a 5 on 3 advantage. Jeff Wright put one in the back of the net off a rebound to send the game to the extra session.
Veseys game winner came after Chase Pearson sent a perfect pass off the boards and sent Vesey in a partial breakaway down the left wing. Vesey fired a shot into the top right corner of the net past Huskies goalie Adam Huska.
Pearson had a pair of assists on the night. UConn outshot Maine 38-33. Huska had 29 saves in net in the Huskies loss. Maine was 1-5 on the powerplay, while UConn was 1-6. The two teams finish off the weekend Hockey East series on Saturday with faceoff scheduled for 4 p.m.
