Eduards Tralmaks scored two goals, including the game winner with less than three minutes left Saturday afternoon to lift the Maine Black Bears to a 3-2 win over Nebraska-Omaha in non-conference men’s hockey played at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland.
Just like on Friday night where the teams settled for a 2-2 tie in Orono, Maine had to rally from a one goal deficit. The Mavericks jumped on top 1-0 when John Schuldt scored at 14:50 of the first. The Black Bears though would take their first lead of the weekend in the second. Sam Rennaker tied it at 10:01, before Tralmaks scored his first of the day 3:18 later to make it 2-1 Maine. Tristan Keck had the answer for Nebraska-Omaha at 16:29 to tie it 2-2. The teams stayed in the deadlock until late in the third. That is when Mitchell Fossier threw one near the front of the net and Tralmaks tipped it in with 2:44 to go. The Mavericks pulled goalie Austin Roden with 2:09 left, but couldn’t find the equalizer as the Maine defense and goalie Jeremy Swayman stood tall to protect the win.
Swayman made 32 saves in the win as the Black Bears improved to 10-8-4. Tralmaks added an assist on the Rennaker goal for three points on the day. Fossier also had three adding three assists. Tim Doherty who scored both goals in the tie Friday night had two assists. Roden made 24 saves in the loss for the Mavericks, who fall to 8-9-3. Maine was 0-3 on the powerplay, while Nebraska-Omaha went 0-6. The Black Bears will host the USA 18 and Under Development team in an exhibition game next Saturday night.
