The Kennebec Journal

COLLEGE HOCKEY

March 14

Black Bears score early to force 3rd game in quarters

BY RACHEL LENZI Maine Sunday Telegram

ORONO -- One more game awaits.

It was the least the Univeristy of Maine men's hockey team could ask for, and the most the Black Bears could play for.

Behind Dave Wilson's 23 saves, the Black Bears defeated UMass-Lowell 2-0 and forced a decisive third game in the Hockey East quarterfinal series.

The finale of the best-of-three series will start at 7 tonight at Alfond Arena.

"We've been waiting for this all season, especially with the home playoffs," said Wilson, a senior who earned his second career shutout. "For it to come down to one game at home, you couldn't ask for anything better."

The winner of tonight's game will advance to the Hockey East semifinals Friday at TDGarden in Boston.

"It's exciting because there's a lot at stake," UMass-Lowell coach Blaise MacDonald said. "We know at the end of (Sunday) night's game, someone's going to the Garden."

Wilson recorded Maine's first shutout since Feb. 7, 2009, when Scott Darling recorded a 1-0 win over New Hampshire in Manchester, N.H. on Feb. 7, 2009. Wilson also recorded Maine's first shutout at Alfond Arena in more than two years -- Ben Bishop shut out Vermont in a 3-0 win March 1, 2008 at Alfond Arena.

"They really cut down on the shots," said Wilson, who earned his second start of the weekend after Darling was suspended indefinitely for violating team rules. "They had some good chances against me but at the same time they only had 23 shots. Our D played really well and our forwards came down in the zone, and cleared out rebounds. Overall, I think it was just finishing off things."

The Black Bears (17-16-3) also got a boost from Spencer Abbott's goal 23 seconds into the game, which Wilson believed set the tone against the RiverHawks (19-15-4).

Likewise, Abbott labeled Wilson's play in goal as "unbelievable."

"He was the biggest factor," Abbott said. "For him not to play for a while and to come out and play like he did ... it really jumps the team."

It's the second time in as many years that Maine has forced a decisive game 3 in the Hockey East quarterfinals -- last year, the Black Bears forced a third quarterfinal game against Boston University, the eventual national champion.

"The first period, we came out and we were hungry," Abbott said. "It's do-or-die. What else can you do?"

After Abbott gave the Black Bears a 1-0 lead, Maine had a second goal waved off less than a minute into the game when officials ruled after video review that Joey Diamond's wraparound shot did not cross the goal line.

Maine was unable to convert a 5-on-3 power play, with Ben Holmstrom (interference) and Steve Capraro (holding) penalized at 6:34 and 6:45, and UMass-Lowell goalie Carter Hutton (28 saves) stopped Abbott and Brian Flynn on a 2-on-1 attempt with 5:30 left in the period.

Nearly 10 minutes after the RiverHawks had a second-period goal waved off - Riley Wetmore deflected the puck past Maine goalie Dave Wilson after the whistle had blown - Tanner House gave Maine a 2-0 lead when he streaked in on goal and took a pass from behind the net from Gustav Nyquist and beat Hutton.

Despite outshooting UMass-Lowell 12-5 in the third, the Black Bears were unable to convert a pair of 5-on-3 power-play opportunities.

Still, both the Black Bears and the RiverHawks got one more game - and one more opportunity to extend the season.

"It feels good," Abbott said. "(Saturday) night we knew it was do-or-die and we had to come out real hard like we did."