Maine men’s hockey wins in overtime at #5 Quinnipiac

Published by %s
October 27, 2023

Brandon Chabrier scored with 1:10 left in overtime on Friday night, leading the Maine Black Bears to a 2-1 men’s hockey win over the defending national champion #5 Quinnipiac at M & T Bank Arena in Hamden, Connecticut.

Maine (3-0) got a little bit of puck luck to score the only goal of the first period. Quinnipiac defenseman Sam Lipkin tried to relieve some pressure near his own goal, and would try to slide it back to his netminder Matej Marinov. Marinov though couldn’t handle it cleanly, and Donovan Villeneuve-Houle was on the doorstep to help push it over the goal line at 12:55 for a 1-0 Black Bears lead. Mason Marcellus nearly tied it for the Bobcats 20 seconds into the second with a breakaway on Victor Ostman, but was stopped. About halfway through the period, Andon Cerbone made a great move to get in on Ostman with a toe drag from right to left but the goalie got a piece of the shot deflecting it up over the net. Christophe Fillion tied it for QU (3-3) with a high rising shot from the middle of the slot about 48 seconds after the chance by Cerbone. Thomas Freel had a breakaway for Maine just 27 seconds later, but would be turned away by Marinov to keep it tied.

Quinnipiac came out fast and strong in the third period, with heavy pressure over the first six minutes drawing a Maine penalty at 6:08. That powerplay would be nullified to a 4 on 4 when the Bobcats took a tripping penalty 13 seconds later. The hosts had a great opportunity on that 4 on 4 when a deflection bounced back into the Black Bears zone, and coming in with speed they had a chance in front of Ostman after a pass by Lipkin from behind the net to Davis Pennington in the low slot. Josh Nadeau though got back into the play and slid into the crease to block away what looked like a for sure goal. Lynden Breen also had a chance to win it in regulation with 25 seconds remaining, working his way down the left wing and into the low slot, getting two shots off on the QU goalie but was stopped twice by the pad of Marinov to send it to overtime. Breen also had a breakaway 20 seconds into overtime, but was also turned away. Maine got the game winner in the 3 on 3 extra session, when after some sustained pressure in the offensive zone they would get the puck to Chabrier who walked into the right faceoff circle and ripped a hard low wristshot that beat Marinov five-hole to end it.

Villeneuve-Houle led Maine in the win with a goal and an assist, as the Black Bears go to 3-0 in the early season. Ostman made 17 saves. Marinov had 27 stops in the defeat for Quinnipiac out of the ECAC. The two teams combined to go 0-8 on the powerplay on the night. The conclusion of the two game non-conference series is set for Saturday at 7 p.m.

Recap by Chris Lessner/Photo courtesy Anthony DelMonaco/Video courtesy of Maine Ice Hockey on Twitter 

Members of the University of Maine men’s hockey team celebrate a goal during an exhibition win over UNH back on October 7 in Waterville. Maine went on the road to defeat the #5 team in the country and the defending national champions 2-1 in overtime on Friday night

 

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