ORONO – An impressive University of New Brunswick team almost crashed the University of Maine hockey team’s party.

But 18-year-old freshman goalie Jimmy Howard won a terrific goaltending duel with UNB’s Gene Chiarello and Maine’s 29-goal scorer from last year, Colin Shields, scored the game-winner on a two-on-oh with Tommy Reimann with 3:09 left in the second period as Maine notched a hard-fought 2-1 victory in the Black Bear Classic Friday night.

Maine will now face Lake Superior State, a 2-1 winner over Quinnipiac (Conn.) in Saturday’s 7 p.m. championship game. New Brunswick and Quinnipiac will square off in the 4 p.m. consolation game.

Howard, who helped lead the United States Development Program’s Under-18 team to the gold medal in the World U-18 championships in Slovakia last year, was immense in his debut.

He made 15 saves off high-percentage (Grade-A’s) shots among his 29.

“He’s a heck of a goalie. He looked like a first round draft pick,” said UNB defenseman Craig Mahon.

Varsity Reds defenseman Brian Stewart said Howard “is a big goalie who doesn”t give you many holes to shoot at. And he covers his angles well.”

Howard said he was “very pleased” with the game and that he received a lot of help from his teammates.

“I just wanted to play my game and not worry too much,” said the 5-foot-11, 225-pound Howard. “I tried to slow the game down as much as possible. Our defensemen did a great job clearing the front of the net.”

He also said his defensemen and forwards did an exceptional job getting their sticks on passes and shots.

Chiarello, a two-time second team Atlantic Universities selection, was equally superb with 18 Grade-A saves among his 34.

“He made some great saves. He got his shoulder on mine,” said Maine senior center Robert Liscak, who was robbed by Chiarello in the third period.

Todd Jackson’s power play goal staked Maine to a 1-0 lead in the first period, which was dominated by the Bears.

But UNB played much better in the second and third periods and Todd Alexander equalized 3:22 into the second period.

Shields’ game-winner came about when a UNB defenseman dove to try to push the puck forward to keep it in the offensive zone.

“Ben Murphy chipped it to me and I passed it over to Tommy,” said Shields.

Reimann did a nice job digging Shields’ pass out of his skates and waiting until Shields got into good shooting position.

“I knew the goalie would be coming over to me so I had to get my shot off quickly,” said Shields, who roofed it before Chiarello could get all the way over to the right post.

Jackson, who was an offensive threat all night long, opened the scoring 9:05 into the game.

Francis Nault’s shot from the point sailed over the UNB net. Liscak tracked the puck down behind the net and fed it to Jackson, who had several whacks at the puck before jamming it home.

“It trickled in the short side. I thought the referee [Jeff Bunyon] was going to blow the whistle but apparently he never lost sight of the puck,” said Jackson.

Maine had several chances to expand the lead but Chiarello came up with several good saves.

The Varsity Reds tied it up on a face-off play to Howard’s left.

Joe Gerbe won the draw back to Mahon at the right point and he snapped a quick low shot on goal. Howard made the initial save but the wide open Alexander swooped on the loose puck, pulled it around Howard and deposited it in the empty net.

Jackson hit the post with a great individual effort later in the period while penalty killing and, moments later, Shields scored.

Maine played better defensively in the third period but had to kill a penalty with 2:24 left and survive a couple defensive zone face-offs, which the Bears did.

“We gutted it out. They’re a good hockey team,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead. “It was a good win. We’ve got to keep things simple. We were too fancy and turned the puck over too much. We flirted with danger.”

Mahon said, “We were a little tentative at first but after the first period we realized we were just as good and we played well in the second and third periods.”

BLACK BEARS 2, VARSITY RED 1

New Brunswick 0 1 0 ? 1

Maine 1 1 0 ? 2

First period ? 1. Maine, Jackson (Liscak, Nault), 9:05 (pp). Penalties: UNB, Gerbe, interference, 7:53; Maine, Ryan, boarding, 9:38; UNB, Mahon, high sticking, 13:07; Maine, Richardson, interference, 18:35.

Second period ? 2. UNB, Alexander (Mahon, Gerbe), 3:22; 3. Maine, Shields (Reimann, Murphy), 16:51. Penalties: Maine, bench minor for too many men on the ice, :44; UNB, Miller, roughing, 9:19; Maine, Murphy, boarding, 14:34; UNB, Hegberg, obstruction interference, 18:51.

Third period ? No scoring. Penalties: Maine, Barnes, interference, 3:09; UNB, McCusker, slashing, 6:55; Maine, Ryan, hitting after whistle, 15:00; UNB, Hegberg, hitting after whistle, 15:00; Maine, Murphy, holding, 17:36; Maine, Reimann, roughing, 20:00; UNB, Burgoyne, roughing, 20:00

Shots on goal: UNB 10-12-8 ? 30; Maine 15-11-10 ? 36

Goaltenders: UNB, Chiarello (36 shots, 34 saves); Maine, Howard 30, (29)

Power-play opportunities: UNB 0-6; Maine 1-5

High-percentage scoring chances: UNB 3-12-4?19; Maine 16-11-8?35

Attendance: 4,484