BOSTON, Mass.-- Senior captain Brian Flynn (Lynnfield, Mass.) scored a goal and dished out four assisted to lead the University of Maine hockey team to a 6-3 win over Northeastern on Sunday afternoon at Alfond Arena in Orono, Maine. The Black Bears improve to 1-0-1 on the season with the win and 1-1-0 in Hockey East play. Northeastern falls to 0-1-1 on the season and 0-1-1 in conference play.
Maine took a 1-0 lead with a power play goal at 10:18 of the opening stanza. Brian Flynn won the face-off which Joey Diamond (Long Beach, N.Y.) tipped to Adam Shemansky on the side. Shemansky skated a few strides and fired a shot past Northeastern goalie Chris Rawlings for his first goal of the season. The goal came just three seconds into the Maine power play.
Maine made it 2-0 when Spencer Abbott (Hamilton, Ontario) scored on a wrist shot from the left circle. Flynn got the puck to Joey Diamond (Long Beach, N.Y.) who found Abbott in the circle.
The Black Bears made it 3-0 at 18:27 of the first period. Jon Swavely (Reading, Pa.) rimmed the puck to Mark Nemec (Rouses Point, N.Y.) on the blueline. Nemec then fired a shot that Kyle Beattie (Avondale, Ariz.) redirected past Northeastern goalie Chris Rawlings.
Maine built its lead to 4-0 at 16:44 of the second frame when Flynn tallied Maine's second power play goal of the game from Beattie and Abbott.
Northeastern got on the board less than two minutes later when Vinny Saponari had a shot from high in the slot that Anthony Bitteto redirected past Maine goalie Dan Sullivan (York, Pa.) Braden Pimm also assisted on the play.
Maine took the three goal lead into the second intermission. Early in the third period, Northeastern was whistled for a penalty and Sullivan skated to the bench in favor of an extra attacker. Flynn then got the puck to Diamond who beat Rawlings for his first goal of the season. Mike Cornell (Frankin, Mass.) also assisted on the play.
Northeastern answered back less than three minutes later when Mike McLaughlin tallied his first goal of the season from Bitetto and Pimm.
The Black Bears extended their lead to 6-2 at 8:13 of the second period when Abbott scored his second of the game. Flynn got the puck to Abbott, who passed to Matt Mangene (Miller Place, N.Y.). Mangene got the puck back and then to Abbott, who beat Rawlings.
Northeastern capped the scoring with a short-handed goal at 19:50 of the third period when Saponari broke in alone on Maine goalie Dan Sullivan.
Maine outshot Northeastern 40-27 in the game. The Black Bears were 2-for-7 with the man advantage, while Northeastern was scoreless in five opportunities.
Sullivan was impressive in goal for the Black Bears, stopping 24 of the 27 shots that he faced. He improves to 1-0-0 on the season. Rawlings made 23 saves in goal for the Huskies in 48:08. Clay Witt played the final 11:47 for the Huskies and stopped all 11 shots that he faced.
The Black Bears return to action on Friday, Oct. 14 when the travel to North Dakota for a pair of games against the Fighting Sioux. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:30 PM eastern time on Friday from Englestad Arena.