BERGLAND SCORES TWO GOALS AS PROVIDENCE EDGES PAST MAINE, 4-3
Senior forward Matt Bergland registers two goals and assist for Friars

Senior forward Matt Bergland scored two goals for the Friars

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Providence College men's hockey team scored three times in the first period and held off No. 12 Maine, 4-3, Friday night in a Hockey East game played at Schneider Arena. With the win, the Friars ended Maine's six-game winning streak and it marked PC's first triumph over the Black Bears since January 16, 2010.

Providence (11-14-2, 9-10-1 Hockey East) took the lead on a goal by senior Matt Bergland (Faribault, Minn.) at 9:23 of the first period. Junior Tim Schaller (Merrimack, N.H.) fired a back-handed shot on Maine goaltender Dan Sullivan and Bergland went hard to the net and capitalized on the rebound. Freshman Drew Brown (Grass Lake, Mich.) also registered an assist on the goal. Bergland scored his second goal of the game 3:03 later with Brown recording his second assist of the night. The Friars' first period offensive outburst would end with a goal by freshman Shane Luke (Dauphin, Man.) after freshman Stefan Demopoulos (La Mesa, Calif.) started the play from behind the net. Demopoulos fed classmate Ross Mauermann (Janesville, Wis.) and he slipped a pass to Luke who finished the play from right outside the crease.

Maine (16-9-3, 11-8-2 Hockey East) responded with a two-goal second period. Matt Mangene scored after a scramble in front of Providence senior goaltender Alex Beaudry (Cumberland, Ont.) to put the Black Bears on the board. With 1:52 left to play in the second period, Spencer Abbott cut the lead to one (3-2) after a two-on-one rush up the ice with Brian Flynn.

Schaller scored the eventual game winner at 7:02 of the third period as he gave the Friars a 4-2 lead. Schaller beat Sullivan to the short side after skating up the left wing to notch his team-high 12th goal of the season. Bergland gained his third point of the game with an assist and senior Daniel New (White Plains, N.Y.) also tallied an assist. Playing with an empty and an extra skater, Maine forward Joey Diamond scored with 1:10 left to cut the lead to 4-3. However, after a frantic finish, Schaller's goal proved to be enough to clinch the win.

The Friars registered 32 shots on goal in the game, including 15 in the first period, while Maine got off 30 shots. Beaudry had a strong game in goal, stopping 27 shots. Sullivan made 28 saves.

The Friars travel to the Mullins Center to face off against the UMass Minuteman tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. Maine also returns to the ice tomorrow night, in a game against #7 UMass Lowell.