The #5 University of Maine men’s ice hockey team dominated in about every facet of the game during their non-conference road matchup with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) on Saturday afternoon. The Black Bears had six players with multiple points including a first period game winning goal from Charlie Russell, and a first career hat trick by Lynden Breen in skating to a 6-0 triumph over the Engineers at Houston Field House in Troy, New York.
Maine (9-2-2) found that first goal and game winner at the 9:37 mark of the first period. Breen from the right point along the near side boards sent one down low to Owen Fowler in the right faceoff circle. Fowler whiffed on his shot attempt, but Russell was there to scoop it up and backhand it past RPI goaltender Noah Giesbrecht for a 1-0 lead. It didn’t take long for the guests to double their lead in the second. Fowler would pick up a second assist when he skated down the left wing and found Breen, who breezed down the low slot from left to right and went backhand up over the shoulder of Giesbrecht at 25 seconds for a 2-0 advantage. Maine had a chance to extend the lead with three powerplays in the stanza, but couldn’t cash in despite many good looks. The hosts also had a pair of extra man opportunities, but the Black Bears as they did all afternoon would limit time, space, and shots on net keeping RPI to the outside and not allowing many Grade A chances. The Bears would settle for a 2-0 lead heading into the third, despite outshooting the Engineers 16-3 in that second period and 30-10 through 40 minutes.
Maine put it away in the final 20, as the powerplay came to life scoring three times to cap off the victory. The first tally came even strength, as Russell made a great pass from behind the RPI net to an open Breen standing on the doorstep near the crease to the right of Giesbrecht for an easy tap-in goal at 4:07. Breen finished off his hat trick just 1:55 later getting a cross-ice pass from the left wing by Sully Scholle and burying a powerplay marker at 6:02 with a wristshot from the right circle that went glove side just inside the near post. Breen though would have to leave the game later in the period with what is being described as a lower body injury, as he was being examined at a local hospital with no further details available. Harrison Scott and Frank Djurasevic got powerplay goals at 9:52 and 10:58 that ended the scoring. The Black Bears are now unbeaten in their last four games (3-0-1), after suffering their only two losses to this point at Boston College three weeks ago.
Breen had four points with his three goals and one assist in the Maine win. The graduate co-captain had two goals (five total points) on the season coming into Saturday’s game. Russell and Djurasevic each had one goal and one assist, while Fowler, Scholle, and Josh Nadeau were also multiple point scorers with two assists each. Sophomore goaltender Albin Boija made 16 saves in picking up his third shutout of the season, and the fifth so far in his career. The Black Bears went 3-7 on the powerplay, going 3-3 in the third period after an 0-4 start. Giesbrecht made 38 stops over the first 50:58 in the loss for RPI, while Carson Dorfman saved all six shots he faced in relief over the final 9:02. The Engineers out of the ECAC went 0-4 on their extra man chances, and were outshot by Maine 50-16 in falling to 5-5-1. The teams meet again in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m.
Maine graduate co-captain Lynden Breen. Photo courtesy of UMaine Athletics. Breen registered his first career hat trick in a 6-0 Black Bears road win over RPI on Saturday, November 30
