The streak has ended. Brendan Robbins scored a late second period shorthanded goal Saturday night, as the Maine Black Bears earned a weekend split with a 3-1 Hockey East victory over #11 Providence at Alfond Arena in Orono. The win snaps a 15 game losing streak to the Friars, and a winless streak of 18 games (0-17-1) dating back to October 2011.
Chase Pearson got the scoring started at 11:39 of the first to make it 1-0 Maine on a feed from Brady Keeper on the powerplay. A little less than four minutes later however, Providence tied it on a goal from Brandon Duhaime also on the powerplay on a great pass from Jason O’Neill that deflected off Duhaimes stick and into the net.
Robbins made the game winning play with 58 seconds left in the second period by stealing a puck near his own blue line, pulling away from the Providence defenders and went in all alone on Friars goalie Hayden Hawkey who Robbins beat five hole to make it 2-1 Bears. It was the sixth shorthanded goal allowed by PC. The Friars would pressure in the third period, but couldn’t come up with the tying goal. Mitch Fossier finished off the Maine win with an empty net marker with less than a minute to go.
Jeremy Swayman earned the win with 30 saves in the Black Bear net. Hawkey made 33 in the loss for the Friars. Maine was 1-2 on the powerplay, while Providence was 1-3. Maine improves their record to 11-14-3, 7-8-3 in Hockey East. PC drops to 16-9-5, 9-7-2.
Maine travels to Merrimack next weekend for a two game weekend series with the Warriors on Friday and Saturday night.
