UMaine holds off Niagara Sophomore Shepheard sparks Black Bears

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ORONO – University of Maine sophomore left winger Brent Shepheard was in and out of the lineup a year ago due primarily to a shoulder problem, appearing in 20 of their 44 games.

Shepheard made a statement in his battle to earn a regular spot Friday night as he had a goal and an assist and was a physical presence throughout as the Black Bears built a 4-1 lead and hung on to beat the hard-working Niagara University Purple Eagles 4-3 at Alfond Arena.

“I know my role. I’m just trying to be bring some energy to the line [with Michel Leveille and Greg Moore]. It’s nice to contribute. I just want to stay in the lineup,” said Shepheard.

Junior center Derek Damon also had a goal and an assist with Leveille and Moore scoring the others.

Niagara senior center Barret Ehgoetz, the College Hockey America Co-Player of the Year last season, had a pair of goals and Aaron Clarke had the other.

Jimmy Howard made 20 saves for the 2-2 Black Bears and Niagara’s Jeff Van Nynatten finished with 31.

The teams play again Saturday night at 7.

Niagara, now 0-2, did an impressive job holding Maine without a shot on goal until there was just 5:22 remaining in the first period but Maine took a 1-0 lead into the intermission when Leveille, parked in the slot, re-directed Jeff Mushaluk’s low wrister from the point over the shoulder of Van Nynatten just before the buzzer sounded. The time of the goal was 19:59.

Damon opened the second-period scoring at the 1:18 mark when he pounced on a loose puck in the high slot and his wrist shot knuckled past the screened Van Nynatten into the far corner.

“It didn’t come off my stick the way I wanted it to. I just threw it on net,” said Damon.

Shepheard made it 3-0 when he led a three-man rush after picking up the puck in the neutral zone, skating down the slot and snapping a 20-foot wrister over Van Nynatten’s glove.

“There was a defenseman there and I just tried to put the shot on net,” said Shepheard.

Ehgoetz answered with a blistering slap shot into the upper short-side corner off Andrew Lackner’s cross-ice pass but Moore re-established the three-goal lead with three seconds left in the period as Shepheard’s low wrist shot from the top of the circle was kicked out by Van Nynatten’s right onto Moore’s stick. Moore shoveled it into the open net.

“It wasn’t too difficult,” said Moore. “Brent’s shot hit his far pad and came right to me.”

Shepheard said he knew there wasn’t much time left in the period “and Greg did a great job beating his man and getting to the net.”

Niagara coach Dave Burkholder said one of his points of emphasis was “winning the first two minutes and last two minutes of every period. It’s on our bulletin board. But they scored three goals against us.”

The Bears controlled the play in the third period and appeared to be en route to a comfortable win.

But the Purple Eagles stunned the Bears by scoring 33 seconds apart to pull within 4-3 with 9:34 remaining.

Eghoetz scored on the power play, jamming home a loose puck from just outside the crease, and then Clarke converted a Sean Bentivoglio pass with a quick wrister from the middle of the slot that beat Howard between the pads.

The Purple Eagles used the momentum to press for the equalizer but Howard made a couple of crucial saves, including a gem off Ryan Gale from the middle of the slot, and he caught a break when a point-blank attempt from a scramble in front clanged off the post.

“I knew I was going to have to make one more save,” said Howard who credited his mates with making several key plays in the final minute to preserve the win. Niagara pulled Van Nynatten in favor of the extra attacker to try to get the tying goal.

“The guys blocked some shots and did a great job clearing the front of the net,” said Howard.

Maine junior defenseman and co-captain Jeff Mushaluk said Shepheard’s play is a credit to his exemplary attitude.

“He worked hard on the little things,” said Mushaluk.

BLACK BEARS 4, PURPLE EAGLES 3

Niagara (0-2) 0 1 2 – 3

Maine (2-2) 1 3 0 – 4

First period – 1. Maine, Leveille 1 (Mushaluk, Damon), 20:00 (pp). Penalties: Niagara, Cross, holding, 2:59; Niagara, Anderson, obstruction-interference, 5:16; Maine, Bellamy, high sticking, 8:11; Maine, Tyler, obstruction-interference, 10:41; Niagara, Clarke, obstruction-interference, 18:37

Second period – 2. Maine, Damon 4 (unassisted), 1:18; 3. Maine, Shepheard 1 (unassisted), 8:24; 4. Niagara, Ehgoetz 1 (Oliveto, Lackner), 11:51 (pp); 4. Maine, Moore 3 (Shepheard), 19:57. Penalties: Niagara, Hartman, obstruction-tripping, 3:43; Maine, Johnson, tripping, 11:32; Maine, Ronan, obstruction-high sticking, 11:39; Niagara, Ehgoetz, goalie interference, 15:28

Third period – 6. Niagara, Ehgoetz 1 (unassisted), 9:53 (pp); 7. Niagara, Clarke 1 (Bentivoglio, Wiebe), 10:26. Penalties: Maine, Moore, obstruction, :25; Maine, Barnes, interference, 4:46; Maine, Leveille, holding the stick, 9:05; Niagara, Wiebe, hooking, 12:10

Shots on goal: Niagara 5-9-9-23; Maine 7-19-9-35

Goaltenders: Niagara, Van Nynatten (35 shots-31 saves); Maine, Howard (23-20)

Power-play opportunities: Niagara 2 of 7; Maine 1 of 6

High-percentage scoring chances: Niagara 1-5-9-15; Maine 4-13-5-22

Attendance: 5,641