PROVIDENCE COLLEGE FRIARS AND MAINE BLACK BEARS SKATE TO 3-3 TIE
PC's Chris Rooney ties game with shorthanded goal; Maine's Spencer Abbott posts two goals and assist

PC's Chris Rooney scored the game-tying goal; Maine's Spencer Abbott posted three points

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Sophomore Chris Rooney (Canton, Mass.) scored a short-handed breakaway goal with 4:50 remaining in the third period as the Providence College men's hockey team tied No. 9 Maine, 3-3, in overtime Friday night at Schneider Arena.

Down 3-2 and on the penalty kill, the Friars lost a faceoff in their own end. Rooney then poked a pass back to the center ice, raced in between two defenders and skated on a breakaway before firing a wrist shot past Shawn Sirman. It marked Rooney's third goal of the season. With 1:27 remaining in the overtime period, Providence found itself killing another penalty and it appeared that Tanner House had scored the game winner just as time expired. After video replay, it was determined not to be a goal because the puck crossed the goal line after time had expired. The Friar penalty kill thwarted all eight Maine power-play chances

The first period was back and forth as the Black Bears scored 45 seconds into the period to take a 1-0 lead on a goal by Spencer Abbott. Bobby Dee and Brice O'Connor assisted on the goal. The Friars need just 18 seconds to score the equalizer as senior Kyle MacKinnon (Walnut, Calif.) pounced on a rebound in front and put home his team-leading 10th goal of the season. Senior Ian O'Connor (Londonderry, N.H.) and freshman Kevin Hart (Cumberland, Maine) assisted on the goal. Abbott then scored on a breakaway, his second of the night to give his team a 2-1 lead at 12:28. The Friars again responded 3:21 later when sophomore Alex Velischek (Kinnelon, N.J.) netted first goal of the season on a slap shot from the point. Junior Andy Balysky (Randolph, N.J.) and sophomore Tim Schaller (Merrimack, N.H.) assisted on the goal.

The Black Bears regained the lead (3-2) just 1:13 into the third period on Joey Diamond's seventh goal of the season. Bobby Dee played a pass from behind the PC net to Diamond who fired a one timer past junior goalie Alex Beaudry (Cumberland, Ontario). Maine held a one-goal lead until Rooney goal in the third period.

Beaudry finished with 36 saves for the Friars, while Sirman stopped 33 shots.

The two teams will complete the weekend series Saturday night at Schneider Arena.