Black Bears’ power play comes alive in victory

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ESTERO, Fla. – Junior defenseman Bret Tyler is one of the quarterbacks on the University of Maine hockey team’s power play, which had been struggling of late but was still ranked fifth in the nation entering Friday’s Florida College Classic opener against Western Michigan.

Tyler snapped a nine-game, goal-scoring drought by notching a pair of third-period power play goals and assisted on another as the Bears racked up five power play goals in 10 opportunities en route to an 8-4 victory over the Broncos at Germain Arena.

Junior center Wes Clark scored a pair of goals with his second snapping a 3-3 tie 4:32 into the third period and giving the Bears the lead for good.

Billy Ryan, Keith Johnson and Teddy Purcell scored the other goals for Maine, which outshot the Broncos 43-30.

Jeff Pierce, Jeff LoVecchio, Brian Bicek and Mark Letestu (power play) scored for Western Michigan.

Maine, 11-3-2, advanced to the championship game for the first time since the Bears last won the tourney the 2002-2003 season. They had lost in the first round the last three years.

The Black Bears will face 9-3-1 Cornell, a 5-2 winner over New Hampshire, in Saturday night’s 7:35 title game. Western Michigan, 6-9-1, will meet UNH, 13-3-1, in the 4:35 consolation game.

Maine’s power play had been operating at a 22.8 percent success rate but was mired in a 3-for-23 slump prior to Friday’s game.

“We got bodies in front of the net on the power play, took away the goalie’s eyes and got our shots through to the net,” explained Tyler. “We have a lot of skilled guys out there. We moved the puck well and kept it simple.”

Tyler was pleased he was able to convert on a couple of his chances.

“I’ll take it. I’ve been in a little drought lately. I’ll take anything I can get,” said Tyler.

The fourth line of Clark between Chris Hahn and Vince Laise combined for two goals and four assists in just its second game together. The line was scoreless in the 1-1 overtime tie with Mercyhurst in Portland on Dec. 16 but produced 10 shots on goal.

“We’ve been clicking really well,” said Clark. “We’ve been cycling the puck well [in the offensive zone]. We have a lot of speed and energy and we try to create havoc for opposing teams.”

The go-ahead goal began with a pass from Hahn to Laise in the neutral zone.

“Vince took a big hit and left the puck at the blue line,” said Clark. “I outraced their defenseman and as he was slashing me down, I let the shot go and it found its way into the net.”

The goal was reviewed to see if it had crossed the goal line before the net became dislodged and it had.

Tyler made it 5-3 on a five-on-three 2:20 later.

“[Keenan] Hopson gave me a pass and Hamilton did a great job [screening] in front,” said Tyler. “I faked a pass to the right post and their guy bit on it. [Assistant coach] Dan Kerluke said their goalie liked to drop down early and Hamilton was the only one in front. So I got the shot up and it went glove side.”

Just 1:37 later, Tyler made it 6-3.

“That one was lucky. Keenan gave me another good pass and I one-timed it. Their defenseman laid down to block it and it hit his stick and went short side,” said Tyler.

Letestu’s power play goal closed the gap with 9:44 remaining, ending Maine’s string of 27 consecutive kills, but Hamilton tipped home a Tyler shot on the power play just 1:25 later and Purcell capped the scoring on the power play, snapping his 10-game goal-scoring drought.

Ryan, Johnson and Clark staked Maine to three one-goal leads but Pierce and LoVecchio answered in the first period and Bicek leveled matters at 3-3 with the only goal of the second period.

Ben Bishop finished with 26 saves for Maine while freshman Riley Gill had 35 for Western Michigan.

Maine associate head coach Guy Perron filled in for head coach Tim Whitehead, who was serving a one-game suspension for a secondary NCAA violation.

“I’m retiring now,” quipped Perron after the game.

He said he thought his team played well.

“They persevered pretty well in the third period,” said Perron.

Perron said his team was a little too fancy with the puck in the first two periods but did a good job making quick, simple passes in the third period to jumpstart their transition offense which, in turn, enabled them to draw some penalties.

He also said both power play units moved the puck well and the Clark line was “dominant.”

BLACK BEARS 8, BRONCOS 4

Western Michigan (6-9-1) 2 1 1 – 4

Maine (11-3-2) 3 0 5 – 8

First period – 1. Maine, Ryan 5 (Lundin), 1:45; 2. WM, Pierce 6 (Mahrle, Letestu), 6:54; 3. Maine, Johnson 5 (Purcell, Shepheard), 8:14 (pp); 4. WM, LoVecchio 7 (Clackson, Lupa), 14:41; 5. Maine, Clark 5 (Laise, Ramsey), 15:46. Penalties: Maine, Leveille, holding, :32; WM, Ludwig, tripping, 1:39; WM, Lupa, contact to the head-roughing, 3:26; WM, LoVecchio, elbowing, 7:20; WM, Pierce, interference, 17:26.

Second period – 6. WM, Bicek 9 (Frank, Pierce), 11:14. Penalties: Maine, Hamilton, hooking, 7:02; WM, Lupa, interference, 12:49; WM, Letestu, hooking, 15:04.

Third period – 7. Maine, Clark 6 (Laise, Hahn), 4:32; 8. Maine, Tyler 2 (Hopson, Ryan), 6:52 (pp); 9. Maine, Tyler 3 (Soares, Ryan), 8:29 (pp); 10. WM, Letestu 10 (Szczechura, Mahrle), 10:16 (pp); 11. Maine, Hamilton 5 (Tyler, Hopson), 11:41 (pp); 12. Maine, Purcell 6 (Soares, Leveille), 18:05 (pp). Penalties: WM, Pierce, tripping, 5:33; WM, Ludwig, cross checking, 6:45; Maine, Hamilton, hooking, 9:39; WM, Frank, cross checking, 11:20; WM, Frank, unsportsmanlike conduct, 17:27; WM, John, interference, 17:27; Maine, Johnson, unsportsmanlike conduct, 17:27; WM, Silver, roughing, 19:01; WM, Bicek, roughing, 19:01; WM, Ansell, grabbing the facemask and roughing, 19:01; Maine, Shepheard, roughing, 19:01; Maine, Danis-Pepin, roughing, 19:01; Maine, Clark, grabbing the facemask, 19:01; Maine, Bellamy, slashing, roughing and 10-minute misconduct, 19:01.

Shots on goal: WM 7-12-11-30; Maine 13-13-17-43

Goaltenders: WM, Gill (43 shots-35 saves); Maine, Bishop (30-26)

Power-play opportunities: WM 1 of 4, Maine 5 of 10