ORONO- The inconsistentcy continues for the Black Bears. Cam MacDonald scored a game winning third period goal, and senior Kyle Chauvette did the rest in net as UNH beat #11 Maine 1-0 in men’s Hockey East action at Alfond Arena on Friday night.
The Black Bears carried the action and the shots over the first two periods. Maine after 40 minutes had a 46-20 edge on shots attempted (15-5 on goal), and also had a pair of powerplays in each of the first two stanzas but the game remained scoreless heading into the third. Despite being outshot, it was the Wildcats who had the best two Grade A chances to that point.
UNH got another opportunity in the third period, and this time would cash in. Maine would turn the puck over in the attacking zone at the blue line, and the sophomore forward MacDonald pounced on it and exploded through the neutral zone away from his defenders going in on a partial breakaway and beating Black Bears freshman goaltender Mathis Rousseau with a wristshot glove side from the right circle at 4:14. The Wildcats would then hang on, as Chauvette thwarted any good looks for the hosts the rest of the way in recording his second consecutive shutout and third of the year.
Chauvette ended up with 21 saves for UNH, as the Wildcats won their third straight game in improving to 8-7 and 4-4 in Hockey East. With the victory over Maine they snap a four game winless streak against the Black Bears (0-3-1), with the last win before Friday night coming on February 17, 2024 down in Durham. Rousseau was strong in the defeat for Maine, making 13 stops and having his shutout streak come to an end after he hadn’t allowed a goal in 104:14. Rousseau blanked Boston College in the Bears last game on November 22nd. The team is just 3-4 now in their last seven games, all in league play, since the home sweep over Boston University back on October 31st-November 1st. Maine is now 8-6-1 and 5-4-0 in Hockey East. The teams will cap off the two game series on Saturday night at 7 p.m.
Photos by Chris Lessner (Eastern Maine Sports) and Anthony DelMonaco (UMaine Athletics)
