Box Score
MANCHESTER, N.H. — The No. 1 ranked University of New
Hampshire men’s hockey team was defeated by the
University of Maine in front of 10,104 fans at the
sold-out Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester on
Friday night in Hockey East action.
With the loss, the Wildcats drop to 19-5-1, 14-3-1 in
Hockey East. Maine recorded its first win of the
season when trailing after two periods and improves to
17-7-2, 10-7-1 in conference play.
With 5:35 remaining, the Black Bears took their first
lead of the night on a power-play goal from Matt
Duffy, which was the eventual game-winner. The goal
was the only power play tally of the evening and was
scored just 15 seconds into the one-man advantage.
Leveille earned his second assist on the night and
Mike Hamilton also tallied an assist on the
game-winning-goal.
UNH pulled ahead for the second time in the game on an
unassisted goal from Greg Collins (Fairport, N.Y.)
with 3:29 remaining in the second. The puck was turned
over in the Maine offensive zone when Collins skated
up ice and unloaded a wrist shot from 45 feet out,
beating Maine goaltender Ben Bishop glove side. The
score was evened by the Black Bears, 2-2, with a goal
from Josh Soares, 1:32 into the final frame. Michel
Leveille and Billy Ryan both notched assists on the
play.
New Hampshire jumped on board first with a goal from
junior forward Matt Fornataro (Calgary, Alberta) at
7:46 of the first period. Senior blueliner Chris
Murray (Dover, Mass.) received the puck at the right
point and delivered it toward the net. Sophomore
forward Trevor Smith (North Vancouver, B.C.) tipped
the puck toward the net where Fornataro, who was
positioned on the left side of the goal, knocked it
in. Maine recorded the equalizer with 6:15 remaining
in the first period on a goal by Mike Hamilton. Keith
Johnson and Rob Bellamy each registered assists on the
play.
With 26 seconds remaining, the Wildcats took a chance
by pulling goaltender Kevin Regan (South Boston,
Mass.). Maine capitalized on the Wildcat gamble and
pulled ahead 4-2 with an empty-net goal from Keith
Johnson. After the puck was turned over at center ice
Johnson scooped it up and fired a shot on net from
outside the blue line.
Regan made 31 saves in the loss for the Wildcats,
including 13 in the first period. Bishop recorded 27
saves for the Black Bears, including 12 in the opening
period.
The top-ranked Wildcats return to action in the
regular-season series finale against the Black Bears
on Saturday, Feb. 3. Game time at the Whittemore
Center in Durham is 7 p.m. The game will be televised
live by New Hampshire Public Television (NHPTV).
