ORONO- Senior forward Harrison Scott picked a great time to end his scoreless drought. Entering the game with not finding the back of the net in his last seven games, Scott would come up with a tying extra attacker goal with 46 seconds left in the third period Friday night as #5 Maine would end in a 1-1 tie with the University of New Hampshire at Alfond Arena in men’s Hockey East action. The Black Bears then got goals by Sully Scholle and Scott to take the extra conference point in a shootout (2-0).
Maine should feel really fortunate to come out of the game with any league points, as UNH outplayed the Black Bears for most of regulation. The hosts went the first 11 or so minutes of the first period with no shots on goal, as the Wildcats owned that category 10-3 in a scoreless opening 20 minutes. Maine played more even in the second (6-5 shots on goal advantage), but any chances were few and far between. UNH finally broke a scoreless tie early in the third period on the powerplay. Conor Lovett took a pass from Connor Sweeney at the bottom of the left faceoff circle, and walked along the goal line before beating Albin Boija with a wristshot up high glove side into the far corner of the net at 3:14. The Black Bears would go on their second powerplay of the night with 4:57 left to play, but would come up empty again stretching their scoreless streak with the extra man to 0 for their last 27. Despite all that, Maine found a way to find the equalizer. Boija was pulled for an extra attacker with 1:55 remaining, and inside the final minute David Breazeale fired a wrister from the middle point just inside the blue line. Scott was at the net front and was able to get the blade of his stick on the shot and re-directed it into the cage past Jared Whale with 46 seconds showing on the clock.
Each team had some chances in overtime, but both goalies stood tall as the game officially ended as a tie. Sully Scholle scored as the second skater for Maine in the shootout, and after Boija stopped the first two UNH attempts, Scott would also tally to give the Black Bears the extra point.
Breazeale and Taylor Makar had an assist each on the tying goal by Scott. Makar extends his points streak to six games. Boija made 23 saves, and Maine went 0-2 on the powerplay. The goal by Scott is his first since he netted two in a January 10th road win at UMass-Lowell. The 18 total shots on goal by the Black Bears is now a new season low. Whale made 17 stops for UNH, while Sweeney and Kristaps Skrastins each had an assist on their lone marker by Lovett. The Wildcats went 1-2 on the powerplay as their record now stands at 11-12-4 and 3-11-3 in Hockey East. Maine is 18-5-5 and 10-3-5 in conference play. With picking up two points and Boston College falling at home 3-2 to UMass Friday night, the Eagles and Black Bears are now tied for first place in Hockey East.
