Bears rally, tip NU Maine scores 3 in third period

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ESTERO, Fla. – Senior center Derek Damon and his linemate, junior right wing Keith Johnson, had each gone nine games without scoring a goal for the University of Maine men’s hockey team.

They snapped their droughts at an opportune time Wednesday.

Damon and Johnson scored third-period goals 1:36 apart to erase a 2-1 deficit and lead the Black Bears to a 4-2 victory over Northeastern in the consolation game at the Florida College Classic.

Maine snapped its five-game winless streak in this tourney (0-4-1).

Cornell and Minnesota-Duluth tied 1-1 in the title game before Cornell won the tourney in a shootout.

Maine is now 12-6 while Northeastern, which had its winless streak extended to eight games (0-5-3), fell to 1-11-4.

Ray Ortiz’s breakaway goal, Northeastern’s third shorthanded goal in two games against Maine this month, staked NU to a 1-0 lead, but Michel Leveille answered on a five-on-three 29 seconds later.

Ryan Ginand gave NU its second lead 3:33 into the second period, but Maine was able to kill off a five-minute major on Brent Shepheard that spanned the second and third periods, thanks to an NU penalty, and Damon and Johnson scored at the 7:10 and 8:46 marks to give Maine the lead for good.

Greg Moore added an empty-net power-play goal.

Maine outshot NU 51-18.

“We had lots of chances and eventually the dam broke and we ended up with a real good comeback win,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead. “We talked about not getting frustrated if didn’t come easy. We didn’t get off track. We stuck to the game plan.”

Johnson said that in spite of the fact they trailed entering the third despite a 31-13 edge in shots, “we felt confident we could get a couple of goals in the third period and pull it out.”

He added that they came into the game with the mindset that “we weren’t going to get outworked and we wanted to get as many shots on net as possible. We accomplished that.”

Damon said assistant coach Grant Standbrook gave the team a motivational talk between the second and third periods and it set the tone for the third period.

“He told us to focus on the prize, to focus on what it takes to be a winner in this league,” said Damon.

Damon’s power-play goal was set up by Mike Lundin and Josh Soares.

He said Lundin made a “great play” by getting the puck to Soares, who tipped the puck on net. NU goalie Doug Jewer made the save, but the rebound went to Damon positioned to the goalie’s left.

“Initially, I was going to hit Soares back door. But when he hollered for the puck, both of their defensemen went over to him, and I had a lane to the net,” said Damon. “I saw the top far corner on the glove side and my shot nicked his shoulder [and went in].”

Johnson scored off a two-on-two with Keenan Hopson.

“I dropped the puck to Keenan, he took it wide and took an innocent shot on net,” said Johnson. “The puck was sitting between the goalie’s legs, and I banged home the rebound.”

Freshman Ben Bishop made his first start since Dec. 2 and made 16 saves, including a clutch pad stop off Joe Santilli late in the third period.

Maine lost leading scorer Billy Ryan to a sprained knee early in the third period and Whitehead said he will probably be out at least a few weeks.

Jewer made 47 saves.

BLACK BEARS 4, HUSKIES 2

Northeastern (1-11-4) 1 1 0 – 2

Maine (12-6) 1 0 3 – 4

First period – 1. NU, Ortiz 1 (Russo, Linard), 4:15 (sh); 2. Maine, Leveille 8 (Moore, Mi. Lundin), 4:44 (pp). Penalties: Maine, Shepheard, elbowing, 1:02; NU, Swiniarski, interference, 3:32; NU, Uusivirta, interference, 4:32; NU, bench minor, 8:28; NU, Liotti, roughing, 11:23; Maine, Bellamy, roughing, 11:23; NU, Liotti, obstruction-hooking, 11:23; NU, bench minor for too many men on the ice, 12:48; Maine, Leveille, interference, 16:20

Second period – 3. Maine, Ginand 6 (Liotti, Russo), 3:33. Penalties: NU, Birnstill, slashing, :14; NU, Sanders, hooking, 4:11; NU, Sanders, charging, 9:18; Maine, Bellamy, high sticking, 12:52; Maine, Damon, elbowing, 14:37; Maine, Shepheard, five-minute major for checking from behind and game misconduct, 17:07; NU, Esner, holding, 18:11

Third period – 4. Maine, Damon 6 (Mi. Lundin, Soares), 7:10 (pp); 5. Maine, Johnson 2 (K. Hopson), 8:46; 6. Maine, Moore 11 (unassisted), 19:54, (pp, en). Penalties: NU, Lewis, hooking, 3:16; NU, Perreault, holding, 6:54; NU, Russo, holding, 18:35

Shots on goal: NU 4-9-5-18; Maine 15-16-20-51

Goaltenders: NU, Jewer (50 shots-47 saves); Maine, Bishop (18-16)

Power-play opportunities: NU 0 of 5, Maine 3 of 11