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PROVIDENCE, R.I. – On Friday night, the Providence College Friars looked like anything but a team that had lost seven of its last eight games and had a dismal 5-15-1 record.
The University of Maine looked like anything but a team ranked fourth in the country.
Junior right wing Jon Rheault’s shorthanded goal with 1:07 remaining in the second period and sophomore defenseman Cody Wild’s third period goal with 6:57 left, three seconds after a Friar power play had expired, gave the Friars a richly-deserved 3-0 victory over the Black Bears at Schneider Arena.
Rheault added an empty net goal with 1:11 remaining.
After an evenly played first period, the Friars took control of the game in the second period and were rewarded for their dominance.
Providence improved to 6-15-1 overall, 5-9-1 in Hockey East. It is Providence’s second straight win after suffering through a seven-game losing streak.
Maine fell to 14-6-2 overall, 7-6-1 in Hockey East play while being shut out for the second straight game. It is the first time Maine has been shut out in back-to-back games since a 3-0 setback to Boston College and a 1-0 loss to New Hampshire on Jan. 29 and Feb. 6, 2000.
The teams will finish their season series tonight at 7. Providence has won three of the last four meetings at Schneider Arena.
Providence outshot Maine 44-28 as junior goalie Tyler Sims notched his first shutout of the season and fourth of his career. Sims was sharp in the first period and early in the second but didn’t face many difficult shots over the game’s final 30 minutes.
Maine sophomore goalie Ben Bishop kept his team in the game but Maine’s scoring chances diminished as the game progressed.
Providence outworked the Bears in all three zones and did an excellent job limiting Maine to very few odd-man rushes and rebound opportunities in front of their net.
“We didn’t play with any sense of urgency or drive. They totally took it to us. We had no business being in a 3-0 game,” said Maine senior left wing and assistant captain Josh Soares who added that the only reason the game was close was the terrific performance turned in by Bishop.
Maine senior center and captain Michel Leveille said, “It was a lack of effort, myself included. They outworked us and outplayed us.”
Bishop made several challenging saves in the early stages of the third period as the Friars looked to add an insurance goal and it finally came with 6:53 remaining.
Jamie Carroll worked the puck out of the corner to Bishop’s right and drove to the front of the net.
“He didn’t get a shot. The puck just squirted across [to Wild at the far post],” said PC’s Tony Zancanaro, who picked up an assist on the play as did Carroll.
“I was parked at the far post. No one picked me up. The puck was just lying there,” said Wild, who shoveled it into the exposed net for his first goal of the season.
“I thought I had it covered,” said Bishop.
The Friars had three breakaways in the second period and Rheault capitalized on the third one after blocking a shot on the penalty kill.
Rheault was able to slice in down the right wing with Maine defenseman Bret Tyler trying to come across to cut him off and he tucked the puck between Bishop’s pads.
“I had a breakaway earlier in the game and shot it into his chest. Coach [Tim Army] told me if I got another chance, look five-hole and put it lower,” said Rheault, who followed his coach’s advice.
“He only had this much,” said Bishop, holding two of his fingers approximately four inches apart. The puck is three inches in diameter.
Earlier in the period, Bishop held the short side to smother Kyle Laughlin’s breakaway backhander and then held his ground as Greg Collins fired his solo over the net.
Maine’s Billy Ryan had a glittering chance to open the scoring early in the second period when Soares set him up unchecked in the low slot but Ryan missed the net.
Bishop finished with seven Grade-A (high-percentage) saves in the period while Sims had three.
“I wasn’t happy with the way I played last weekend and I just wanted to give the guys a chance to win tonight,” said Bishop, who finished with 17 Grade-A saves among his 41.
“He’s a great goalie,” said Rheault. “He made some saves off shots he didn’t see,”
Sims finished with 10 Grade-A saves among his 28.
“The guys did a great job in front of me. They shut them down,” said Sims who added that his teammates enabled him to see the shots and then cleared the rebounds.
“Where we really played well was the offensive zone. We really took it to them,” added Sims.
Both teams had some promising scoring opportunities in the scoreless first period but both goalies stood tall.
Sims stopped Ryan twice in rapid-fire succession after the Maine right winger broke free down the slot and, later in the period, he robbed Mike Hamilton on two quick wristers from the edge of the crease off a Simon Danis-Pepin pass from behind the net.
FRIARS 3, BLACK BEARS 0
Maine (14-6-2) 0 0 0 – 0
Providence (6-15-1) 0 1 2 – 3
First period – No scoring. Penalties: PC, Wild, obstruction-interference, 0:45; Maine, Duffy, hooking, 4:01.
Second period – 1. PC, Rheault 5 (unassisted), 18:53. Penalties: PC, Zancanaro, charging, 2:54; PC, Carroll, charging, 7:31; PC, Fayne, obstruction-interference, 14:02; Maine, Purcell, hooking, 14:06; PC, Collins, tripping, 17:10.
Third period – 2. PC, Wild 1 (Zancanaro, Carroll), 13:07; 3. PC, Rheault 6 (Collins), 18:49 (en). Penalties: Maine, Duffy, hitting from behind, 11:04
Shots on goal: Maine 10-9-9-28; Providence 12-15-17-44
Goaltenders: Maine, Bishop (43 shots-41 saves); Providence, Sims (28-28)
Power-play opportunities: Maine 0 of 5; Providence 0 of 3
High-percentage scoring chances: Maine 3-4-4-11; Providence 5-9-9-23
Attendance: 2,886
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