The Maine men’s hockey team rallied from a pair of one goal deficits Saturday night, getting a second period goal from Brendan Robbins to take a 4-2 win over the Merrimack College Warriors at Lawler Rink in North Andover, Massachusetts.
Maine (12-14-4, 8-8-4 Hockey East) rallied from a two goal deficit on Friday night after trailing 3-1 after two periods, and garnering a 3-3 tie to gain a point in the Hockey East standings with two third period goals including one from Brady Keeper with less than a minute left with the goalie pulled for an extra attacker.
On Saturday, Merrimack got a good bounce on the powerplay to take an early lead. Alex Carle shot one in from just past center ice that took a bounce off the back boards going straight up in the air and hitting Maine goalie Jeremy Swayman in the back and landed behind him and into the net to make it 1-0 Warriors 3:48 into the first. Ryan Smith tied it for the Bears at 10:40, before Alex Petti gave the hosts back the lead at 14:14. Just 1:30 later, Sam Beck tied it again for Maine.
The visitors got the game winner in the second. Robbins goal was his sixth of the season at 12:47. Merrimack (7-21-2, 4-15-1) pressured late in the third for the equalizer and pulled their goalie for the extra attacker, but Mitch Fossier deposited an empty netter with less than two seconds left to clinch the road win.
Swayman earned the win in the Maine net with 39 saves. Logan Halladay suffered the loss in the Merrimack net stopping 18 of 19 shots, in relief of starter Craig Pantano who left with an injury after playing the first 19:50. Maine was 0-5 on the powerplay, while Merrimack went 1-10. Fossier added an assist to go along with his goal, while Patrick Shea and Emil Westerlund both had a pair of assists in the win. The Bears have now moved into a tie for sixth place in Hockey East with Boston University.
Maine returns home next Friday to open up a two game weekend series with Boston College at Alfond Arena. Puck drop is 7 pm.
