PROVIDENCE COLLEGE TOPS MAINE, 3-1, TO OPEN QUARTERFINAL SERIES
Sophomore Mark Jankowski has game-winning goal and assist for Friars

Sophomore forward Mark Jankowski had a goal and an assist for the Friars

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The third-seeded Providence College men's hockey team scored two goals in the first seven minutes and went on to post a 3-1 win over sixth-seeded Maine on Friday night at Schneider Arena (2,090) to take a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-three Hockey East quarterfinal series.

Mark Jankowski (Dundas, Ontario) had a goal and an assist and Jon Gillies (South Portland, Maine) made 34 saves to lead the Friars to their fifth win in a row and 20th of the season (20-9-6, 11-7-2 HEA). Trevor Mingoia (Fairport, N.Y.) and Derek Army (North Kingstown, R.I.) also scored for the Friars.

Ben Hutton scored Maine's goal, while Black Bear goaltender Martin Ouellette made 29 stops. The Friars were 1-for-2 on the power play, while Maine (16-14-4, 9-8-3 HEA) finished 0-for-2 with the man advantage.

The Friars held a 2-0 lead over the Black Bears after the first twenty minutes of play. Mingoia recorded his first career playoff goal at 5:28 of the opening period to break the scoreless tie. After receiving a pass from junior Stefan Demopoulos (La Mesa, Calif.), Jankowski set up Mingoia for the wrist shot. Mingoia's shot from the right face-off circle went over Ouellette's shoulder for a 1-0 Providence lead.

Army's fourth career playoff goal, and his first career game winning playoff goal, came at 6:57 of the same period, doubling Providence's lead. After a face-off win in the Black Bears' defensive zone, freshman Kyle McKenzie (Aston, Pa.) collected the puck and found sophomore Brandon Tanev (Toronto, Ontario) wide open between the circles. Tanev fired a shot that was deflected by Army on its way through traffic beating Ouellette.

Hutton opened the scoring for the Black Bears at 4:57 of the second period as his shot from the blue line found its way through a screen and eventually eluded Gillies high. Blaine Byron and Brian Morgan each recorded assists on the play for Maine.

Jankowski restored Providence's two goal lead at 14:05 of the second while on the power play. He curled around the back of the net with the puck and eventually got a shot off from the top of the circle to capitalize with the man advantage. Jankowski's 12th goal of the season came following passes from red-shirt sophomore Noel Acciari (Johnston, R.I.) and sophomore John Gilmour (Montreal, Quebec) while working with the extra skater to get the puck to Jankowski.

The series continues tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. at Schneider Arena. Tickets are available by calling 401-865-GOPC and the game will be televised locally on CoxSports on OSN.

Notes

Trevor Mingoia scored his first career playoff goal (in his second career playoff game) ... Derek Army scored his fourth career playoff goal (in his ninth career playoff game) and his first career game-winning playoff goal ... Army played in his 145th consecutive game as a Friar, one shy of the program record held by Tony Zancanaro '06 ... Mark Jankowski notched his second career playoff game (in his fifth playoff game) and his second multi-point playoff game (1-1-2) ... The Friars notched a power-play goal for the third consecutive game, marking their longest such stretch since netting power-play tallies in the first five games of the season ... The Friars are unbeaten in seven straight versus Maine (6-0-1) for the first time since winning eight in a row against the Black Bears from 1981-84 ... After notching seven points (3-4-7) in the first 30 games of the season, Brandon Tanev has seven points in the last five games (3-4-7) ... With an assist, Noel Acciari extended his career-long point streak to five games (3-4-7) ... The last time the Friars posted 20 wins in a season was 2000-01 (22-13-5) ... Providence extended its winning streak to five games, tying a season-best mark (also won five straight from Nov. 2 - Nov. 16) ... The Friars are now 8-1-1 on the season when Mark Jankowski scores a goal and 12-2-2 when he has a point.