ORONO – University of Maine junior right wing John Ronan said he gave linemate Ben Murphy a good-natured ribbing before Saturday night’s Hockey East championship game between the Black Bears and the University of Massachusetts.

“He told me he had a dream that he scored the game-winning goal,” said Ronan. “I gave him a hard time saying it wasn’t going to happen.”

“Sure enough, he does it. We’ll take it. That was great,” grinned Ronan, whose linemate scored with 10:33 left in the third overtime to give the Bears a 2-1 victory in a showcase game for college hockey.

In winning its fifth Hockey East title, Maine improved to 30-7-3 and the Bears will meet ECAC champ Harvard, 18-14-3, in Friday’s 5 p.m. NCAA East Regional game at Pepsi Arena in Albany, N.Y.

Maine is the top seed in that regional and Harvard is the No. 4 seed.

Maine and UMass, which was making its first appearance in a Hockey East final, played for 109 minutes, 27 seconds – making it the longest Hockey East tournament game in the league’s 20-year history.

It was the longest ever for each team.

Maine goalie and tournament Most Valuable Player Jimmy Howard made 63 saves, which set the school record and eclipsed his own previous single-game high.

UMass goalie Gabe Winer set a personal mark with 59 stops.

Howard made 24 Grade-A (high-percentage) saves, while Winer finished with 31.

The teams combined to attempt 228 shots, 114 apiece.

The game could have been decided much earlier in overtime, but sophomores Howard and Winer would have none of it. They each crafted a masterpiece.

“It was a tremendous game. It was sad someone had to lose,” said Winer. “In the first overtime, Jimmy had a lot of work. I had most of the action in the second and third overtimes.”

“Jimmy played great. It was fun to be a part of a goaltending duel like that, going save-for-save,” added Winer.

“For someone who hasn’t played in a couple of weeks [due to a back injury] and stepping in and making 60 [59] saves, kudos to him. He played a heck of a game,” said Howard.

“It’s too bad one of us had to lose, but that’s just the way the game is,” Howard added.

Murphy’s goal was his first since Nov. 22. He had gone 23 games without a goal.

“That’s what always happens in the playoffs,” said UMass senior defenseman and Hobey Baker Award finalist Thomas Pock, who had 14 shots on goal. “The clutch goal is usually scored by one of those guys. They’ve got a terrific team. They played great. They deserve that trophy.”

Junior defenseman Mat Deschamps, whose shot from the right circle was tipped home by Murphy, had gone 21 games without a point.

Cam Lyall, who passed it to Deschamps and picked up the other assist, had been pointless for 11 games.

The sequence leading to the goal began when Ronan knocked the puck out of the air behind the net to Lyall.

“I had room behind the net, I looked, and I heard Matty yell,” said Lyall. “So I just gave it to him.”

Lyall’s same-side pass from behind the net landed on Deschamps’ stick and he one-timed it toward the net.

“I knew I was getting to the front of the net, Matty got the shot and, luckily, I was able to get my stick on it and it found a hole,” said Murphy.

“It was a good shot and Murph tipped it in five-hole. It was a good play,” said Winer.

“It was really sweet,” said Murphy of his third goal of the season. “It gets frustrating every now and then when you’re getting chances, but the puck isn’t going in the net.

“But you’ve got to stick with it. That’s what I learned growing up. I knew that eventually I’d get one to go in. Luckily, it was tonight and it was a big one.”

“I’ll never forget this game,” said UMass junior left wing Greg Mauldin, who generated 12 shots on goal, including the tying goal on the power play with 6:13 left. “I’ve watched plenty of games like this whether it be an NHL game or a college game.

“But you never think you’re going to be a part of one this long and this mentally challenging. Then there it is, right in front of you. I wouldn’t trade this for the world. I would have liked to have come out on top, but the experience is something I’ll never forget,” Mauldin added.

Dustin Penner had staked the Bears to a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at the 16:24 mark of the second period before Mauldin equalized to snap Howard’s scoreless streak at 164:13.

Penner swept a 14-footer between Winer’s pads after Michel Leveille broke his stick on a one-timer from the point and his shot bounced off a UMass defenseman to hi.

Mauldin’s tying goal came on a screened slap shot from the high slot.

“There were two guys camped out in front. I never saw it,” said Howard.

UMass clearly dominated the first overtime, outshooting Maine 19-8, and Howard preserved the tie with back-to-back saves off Pock, including a dramatic windmill glove save off the rebound.

“I left a fat, juicy rebound. I noticed he picked up the puck, and I thought ‘Oh man, Pock is the most dangerous guy in Hockey East.’ I was sprawled and had to do anything I could to get a piece of my equipment on it. I got it with my glove and it went up over the net,” said Howard.

“I saw him leaning over a little bit. I figured I’d lift it up short side but his glove was right there. He absolutely robbed me,” said Pock. “Jimmy Howard was terrific. He was the man of the night again, just like yesterday [1-0 win over Boston University]. Gabe was terrific, too.”

Maine took over in the second overtime and Winer came to the rescue, making 13 saves, including a glove stop on Penner’s breakaway.

Winer had stopped Greg Moore’s breakaway in the first period.

The Bears, who played the earlier game Friday, had more energy in the third overtime up until Murphy ended it.

“I think our physical play started to wear them down later in the game,” said Murphy.

Joining Howard on the all-tournament team were Maine defenseman Prestin Ryan, right wing Colin Shields, and UMass’ Pock, Mauldin, and center Mike Warner.

BLACK BEARS 2, MINUTEMEN 1

UMass (19-12-6) 0 0 1 0 0 0 ? 1

Maine (30-7-3) 0 1 0 0 0 0 ? 2

First period ? No scoring. Penalties: Maine, Johnson, tripping, 8:09; Maine, Lyall, boarding, 16:50; UMass, Kuiper, roughing, 19:22; Maine, Penner, roughing, 19:22

Second period ? 1. Maine, Penner 10 (Leveille), 16:24 (pp). Penalties: UMass, Jarman, obstruction interference, 5:17; UMass, Jacobs, obstruction interference, 15:41; Maine, Mushaluk, holding, 17:08

Third period ? 2. UMass, Mauldin 15 (Degon, Pock), 13:47 (pp). Penalties: UMass, MacDonald, roughing, 6:25; Maine, Damon, roughing, 6:25; UMass, Jacobs, roughing, 6:25; Maine, Lyall, roughing, 6:25; UMass, Summerfield, hitting after the whistle, 7:10; Maine, Hamilton, roughing, 7:10; UMass, Jarman, tripping, 7:36; Maine, Deschamps, obstruction interference, 13:01

First overtime ? No scoring. Penalties: none

Second overtime ? No scoring. Penalties: none

Third overtime ? 3. Maine, Murphy 3 (Deschamps, Lyall), 9:27. Penalties: none

Shots on goal: UMass 12-13-12-19-4-4? 64; Maine 10-7-17-8-13-6?61

Goaltenders: UMass, Winer (61 shots-59 saves); Maine, Howard (64-63)

Power-play opportunities: UMass 1 of 4; Maine 1 of 3

High-percentage scoring chances: UMass 12-6-10-14-4-2?48; Maine 13-10-12-4-17-6?62

Attendance: 16,743