Eight different Black Bear skaters got on the scoresheet on Thursday night led a hat trick from Josh Nadeau, as #6 Maine thoroughly outplayed #13 UMass at the Mullins Center in Amherst in rolling to an impressive 6-2 men’s Hockey East win in the opener of a two game series.
Maine came out with some determination especially defensively after the sweep at home over Boston University last weekend where they still allowed nine goals in the two games, outshooting UMass 19-3 in the first period. It would stay scoreless though until the final 1:06 of the stanza. With the Black Bears shorthanded, Nadeau would begin his night with a goal for his team while a man down to give them a lead they never relinquished. Nadeau scooped up an errant pass near center ice and broke in on a partial breakaway, firing a wristshot from the left circle into the net five-hole on Minutemen goaltender Jackson Irving at 18:54. Brandon Holt made it 2-0 with his second of the season just 16 seconds later on a 4 on 4 situation.
Black Bears freshman phenom Justin Poirier recorded his ninth goal of the season in just his ninth collegiate game on a 5 on 3 powerplay 28 seconds into the second. Poirier now leads all first year players in the country in points (14). After the hosts got on the board for the first time at 6:01, Nadeau picked up his second of the evening just after a UMass powerplay expired. After a scramble in front of the Minutemen net, Brandon Chabrier from the right point located Nadeau in the low slot. Nadeau released a quick shot that beat Irving glove side at 17:54 to make it 4-1. The junior forward capped off his hat trick on the powerplay unassisted at 9:04 of the third period. Nadeau skated out to the edge of the left circle and into the high slot, releasing a wrister through traffic past Irving who was being screened in front by Thomas Freel. After UMass got their second goal at 10:48, Miguel Marques finished off the scoring at 15:24 with his third of the year.
Nick VanTassell and Jack Galanek had the goals in the loss for UMass. Irving made 48 saves, as his team was outshot 54-16. The Minutemen went 0-5 on the powerplay in falling to 6-4 and 0-2 in Hockey East. Nadeau added an assist to his three goal night in the Maine win. Owen Fowler had three assists. Chabrier, Sully Scholle, and Max Scott chipped in one assist each. Albin Boija made 14 stops in net. The Black Bears went 2-6 on the powerplay in winning their fourth straight game improving their record to 6-2-1 and 3-0-0 in conference play. During the four game win streak, Maine has scored 22 goals and has outshot their opponents 169-94. The two teams will finish off their two game series on Friday night at 7 p.m.
Photos top to bottom of Josh Nadeau, Owen Fowler, and Justin Poirier are courtesy of UMaine Athletics
