ORONO, Maine -- Brian Flynn (Lynnfield, Mass.) scored 2:50 into overtime to lead the University of Maine men's ice hockey team to a 5-4 win over Providence College on Friday night at Alfond Arena in Orono, Maine. It is the second straight game that Flynn has scored the overtime game-winner against the Friars in overtime. Maine improves to 2-2-1 on the season with the win and 2-1-0 in Hockey East play. The Friars falls to 2-2-1 overall and 2-1-0 in conference play.
Providence took a 1-0 when David Brown took a pass from Rob Maloney and fired a wrist shot that hit the glove of Maine goalie Martin Oulette's (St.-Hippolyte, Quebec). Ouellette was unable to control the rebound and it lay just outside the crease. Chris Rooney collected the lose puck and fired it past Ouellette for his first goal of the season.
Maine tied the game at 1-1 with just over three minutes to play in the first period. Adam Shemansky (Robbinsville, N.J.) won a face-off back to Mike Cornell (Franklin, Mass.). Cornell skated a few strides and shot the puck past Providence goalie Alex Beaudry. The two teams went into the first intermission tied 1-1
Maine got on the board again at 8:07 of the second period on a goal by Joey Diamond (Long Beach, N.Y.). Matt Mangene (Miller Place, N.Y.) made the initial attempt on a wrap around that was saved by Friar goalie Beaudry. Diamond then came in and put the rebound away for his second goal of the year. Mangene and Spencer Abbott (Hamilton, Ontario) each assisted on the goal.
Providence was able to tie the game up at 2-2 on a backhanded shot that Rob Maloney flipped to the top left corner of the net. Chris Rooney and David Brown set up the play to give them the assists on the goal.
Joey Diamond struck again with 3:54 left in the second period with a shot that hit the post and found the back of the net. For Diamond, it was his third goal of the season. Matt Mangene and Will O'Neill (Salem, Mass.) each assisted on the goal. Maine took the 3-2 lead into the second intermission. Maine had a 23-18 edge in shots on goal after two periods of play.
With 9:54 left in regulation, Providence fought back to tie the game on a short-handed goal by Stefan Demopoulos. Ross Mauermann assisted on the goal which tied the game at 3-3/
The tie did not last long as Kyle Beattie (Avondale, Ariz.) tipped a Ryan Hegarty (Arlington, Mass.) shot past Beaudry at 13:14 as the Black Bears regained the one goal advantage. Shemansky also assisted on the goal.
Providence's Steven Shamanski tied the game for the Friars just 36 seconds later from Mauermann and Damian Cross. Maine appeared to have taken the lead back just 10 seconds later, but after review, the goal was disallowed.
The game remained 4-4 through regulation.
In overtime, Flynn notched the game-winning goal as he swung the puck from right to left while falling to the ice in front of Beaudry. It was the third goal of the season for Flynn and also his second game-winner. Diamond and Mangene each assisted on the game-winner for the Black Bears.
Maine finished with a slim 29-28 edge in shots on goal. The Black Bears were 0-for-4 on the power play, while Providence also finished the game 0-for-4 with the man advantage.
Ouellette stopped 24 shots in goal for the Black Bears. He improves to 1-2-0 on the season. Beaudry made 24 saves in goal for the Friars. He falls to 2-2-1 on the season.
The two teams return to action on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Alfond Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM. Tickets can be purchased at the door.