Donovan Villeneuve-Houle scored a game winning third period goal on Saturday night, as the Maine Black Bears scored three goals in the final stanza to overcome a 2-0 deficit and pick up a 4-2 non-conference men’s hockey win over the Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks at the Alfond Arena in Orono.
After a 6-2 win over Maine on Friday night, Alaska-Fairbanks would break the scoreless tie when Jakob Breault scored on the powerplay at 16 seconds of the second period to make it 1-0. Didrik Henbrant doubled the lead at 8:22. Ben Poisson would put the Black Bears on the board just 22 seconds later on assists from Lynden Breen and Villeneuve-Houle to cut it to 2-1 after 40 minutes. Breen would tie it up on a 5 on 3 powerplay off helpers by Jakub Sirota and Villeneuve-Houle at 3:10 of the third period. The game winner by Villeneuve-Houle was assisted by Breen and Poisson at 17:23, and Breen added on an insurance empty net goal at 19:20 to help Maine (3-12-4) split the weekend series. The Bears have all three of their wins at home this season (3-7-3 overall at the Alfond).
Breen led the way with two goals and two assists on the night, while both Villeneuve-Houle and Poisson had a goal and two assists. Sophomore Connor Androlewicz picked up his first career win in net making 27 saves. Brady Risk, who had a hat trick in the win Friday, was the only multiple point scorer for Alaska-Fairbanks with two assists in the defeat. Gustavs Davis Grigals made 40 saves, as the Nanooks fall to 5-14-1. Maine gets back into Hockey East action when they travel to #12 UMass-Lowell for a two game series next Friday and Saturday.
Photos are courtesy of Anthony DelMonaco
