The University of Maine men’s hockey team started fast and never let up on Saturday night, building on a dominant first period en route to a 5-0 win over Lindenwood University.
The Black Bears gave their home fans plenty to cheer about early at the Alfond Arena in Orono, with junior wing Charlie Russell beating Lindenwood goalie Liam Beerman to put UMaine up 1-0 less than five minutes into the game.
The visiting Lions did themselves no favors shortly thereafter by taking a too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty, and the Black Bears made them pay. Black Bears junior center Sully Scholle made a skillful play to corral a loose puck near the net, then brought it back to his forehand and hammered it home top shelf to put the Black Bears up 2-0 after the powerplay goal.
UMaine controlled the pace of play for much of the first period, with Lindenwood not registering a shot on net for more than 13 minutes to start the game. Black Bear goalie Albin Boija dealt with that first action easily by flashing a nice glove save. Maine outshot the visitors 19-9 in the first.
Boija flashed the leather again in the second period, making an even better save as UMaine worked to kill a penalty midway through the period. It looked like Lindenwood got on the scoresheet right after, but a would-be goal for the visitors from Missouri was ruled no good due to a high stick. That kept UMaine’s 2-0 lead intact.
Russell then had two chances alone on goal to make it 3-0, but Beerman stood firm and saved both point blank shots.
After those short-range chances, UMaine freshman Justin Poirier delivered on a long-range shot with a blistering one-timer from the top of the offensive zone. Poirier’s team-leading 14th goal of the season was assisted by senior defenseman and co-captain Brandon Holt along with junior wing Josh Nadeau.
That score put the Black Bears up 3-0 heading into the third period.
Poirier quickly sent another shot screaming off the post to start the final period, but was unable to stretch the lead on that attempt.
Boija did well to keep the shutout intact a few minutes later during four-on-four action as he slid across the crease to deny a solid Lindenwood chance.
After the four-on-four morphed into a short UMaine power play, the Black Bears’ top scorer stepped up again. Poirier stole the puck in the offensive zone, fed it to fellow freshman Miguel Marques, and then got it back from Marques to snap another quick shot past Beerman. That put UMaine up 4-0 and gave Poirier his 15th goal of the year.
The Black Bears added to the lead about 30 seconds later, with two more freshmen connecting on yet another goal for the home team. Freshman wing Will Gerrior made a fantastic spinning and diving pass to freshman defender Lukas Peterson, and Peterson maneuvered around Beerman for his first-ever collegiate goal.
That stretched the UMaine lead to an insurmountable 5-0.
