ORONO- Junior defenseman Grayson Arnott picked a good time to score his first goal of the season. Arnott tipped home a game winner early in the third period on Saturday afternoon, as #5 Maine defeated Stonehill College 5-2 in men’s non-conference hockey action before a crowd of 4,518 at Alfond Arena. The win extends the unbeaten streak to six for the Black Bears (5-0-1).
Maine (11-2-2) started very strong, playing one of their better periods of the season in the first. They outshot Stonehill 18-2, and got goals from Taylor Makar and Harrison Scott to take a 2-0 lead. Makar knocked home a rebound of a Josh Nadeau shot from the high slot that was stopped by Skyhawks graduate goaltender Connor Androlewicz at 7:49. Androlewicz was back in town in an opposing jersey, after spending four years as a backup in Orono with the Black Bears. Scott scored on the powerplay 2:16 later, stepping into the high slot and lasering a wristshot stick side just inside the far post. Stonehill surprised the Alfond crowd however in the second period, as they would even up the score after 40 minutes. Just after a Skyhawks powerplay expired, a shot from the left faceoff circle by Frank Ireland couldn’t be stopped cleanly by Maine netminder Albin Boija. Leo Chambers was there to pick up the rebound in the low slot to register his first career goal at 1:40 to cut the deficit to 2-1. Despite Maine putting another 18 shots on Androlewicz in the stanza, he would stand tall to give his team a chance to knot things up. On the powerplay at 18:45, a rebound kicked right out into the low slot to the stick of Brady Hunter who fired it in to even the score 2-2.
It was all Maine in the third period, starting with the game winner by Arnott at 1:39. A shot from the high point by Nolan Renwick would be re-directed in by the stick of Arnott, who showed great net front pressure by screening Androlewicz along with Owen Fowler. Junior forward Nicholas Niemo, playing in his first game of the season, extended the lead just over three minutes later. A puck went off the skate of teammate Oskar Komarov and came to Niemo in the low slot who went high and over the blocker side to find the back of the cage at 4:58. Stonehill was then called for a penalty for tripping at 5:22, and on the delayed call a second penalty was also whistled for elbowing giving the Black Bears a 5 on 3 powerplay. Josh Nadeau would finish the scoring on that two man advantage at 7:03, drilling home a wrister that went off the near post blocker side and ringed the far post as well before landing into the net. Maine, who scored four times in the third period in each of their victories during a road sweep at RPI last weekend, now has scored 11 goals in the third period over the last three games.
Nadeau had one goal and two assists to lead all point getters in the Maine win. Makar added one goal and one assist. Renwick had two assists, while Fowler, David Breazeale, and Frank Djurasevic had one assist each. Boija had 14 saves, and the Black Bears went 2-5 on the powerplay. They also outshot Stonehill 46-16, now outshooting their last three opponents by a total of 146-60 combined. Androlewicz made 41 stops in the loss for the Skyhawks, who fall to 6-13 on the season. Justin Gibson had two assists, and they would go 1-3 on their extra man opportunities. Stonehill began Division I competition just two seasons ago in 2022-23, and play as an independent (no conference affiliation). The teams finish off their two game series on Sunday afternoon with puck drop scheduled for 3 p.m.
Photo by Chris Lessner
Former UMaine and current Stonehill College gradute goaltender Connor Androlewicz makes a second period save during a 5-2 Black Bears win at Alfond Arena on Saturday, December 7, 2024. Photo by Anthony DelMonaco
Sophomore forward Josh Nadeau celebrates his third period goal in a win over Stonehill. Photo by Anthony DelMonaco
Maine junior forward Nicholas Niemo scored a goal in his first game of the season on Saturday, December 7, 2024 in a 5-2 Black Bears win over the Skyhawks of Stonehill College. Photo by Anthony DelMonaco
All postgame videos interviews below by Chris Lessner
Maine head coach Ben Barr
Maine junior defenseman Grayson Arnott
Maine junior forward Nicholas Niemo
