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Maine Defeats Northeastern 3-2
Feb. 18, 2005 Maine (13-11-3, 4-9-2 HE) came into today's game needing a win and two conference points to move up into the fourth and final playoff spot. The Black Bears did just that. With a 3-2 win over the visiting Northeastern Huskies (3-21-3, 2-10-2 HE) Maine moves up into sole possession of fourth place in the Hockey East standings. Sophomore forward Sonia Corriveau (Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec) scored a goal and added an assist and senior captain Tristan Desmet (Strathmore, Alberta) tallied two goals including the gamewinner to knock off Northeastern. Both teams will battle for two more valuable conference points on Saturday afternoon at Alfond Arena at noon. Maine dominated play from the opening face-off and registered a 23 to 4 shot advantage in the first period. Their persistence paid off as Desmet tallied her first goal 4:42 into the game. Linemate Cheryl White (Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) tallied her eighth assist on the year. Northeastern's goaltender, Marisa Hourihan kept the Huskies in the game with 22 saves. The Black Bears went 0-2 on the power play while Northeastern went 0-1. Despite being up 1-0, Maine had an uphill battle the second period as they were charged with five penalties. Both teams scored a power play goal with Maine going 1-2 and Northeastern going 1-5. Northeastern had their best chance come early in the period when Crystal Rochon broke free and skated in on what looked to be a one-on-one with sophomore goaltender Rachel Gettings (Watervliet, New York) when out of nowhere came sophomore forward Kate Sunstrum (London, Ontario) to steal the puck away. Just a few minutes later, at the 8:05 mark, Corriveau doubled the Black Bear advantage to take a 2-0 lead on a power play goal. Corriveau scored her eighth goal of the year when she shot the puck, hit the post and put the rebound past Hourihan. Northeastern was able to draw one goal back when Nikki Petrich scored a power play goal with just under two minutes remaining in the period. Crystal Rochon and Amy Goodney earned assists on the play. The period would end with Maine up 2-1 and just outshooting the Huskies 5 to 4.
4:45 into the third stanza, Northeastern's Stephanie Wood scored the tying goal with assists from Jessica Coppney and Kathryn Sands. Maine continued to push for the gamewinner outshooting the Huskies 14 to 10 in the third period. Corriveau had a chance to score her second of the game when she was sent in on a breakaway with Hourihan, but her shot narrowly missed the target. Sunstrum had a great chance halfway through the period when she deflected a blistering Kelly Law (Markham, Ontario) slapshot. The puck went past everyone and looked to be in, but Hourihan somehow smothered the puck before it crossed the line. With 7:46 remaining in the game, Desmet scored the gamewinner and her team leading fourteenth goal of the season. Corriveau registered her 10th assist on the power play goal that put Maine up 3-2. Junior forward Amy Quirion (South Glenn Falls, New York) almost added another goal when she broke up a pass at the red line and skated past everyone for a one-on-one with Hourihan. Quirion made a great move that froze Hourihan, but her shot sailed high. Maine dodged a bullet with 4:58 remaining when Kathryn Sands hit the post just past a sprawling Gettings. With under two minutes to play, the Huskies pulled Hourihan and add a sixth skater. Maine was able to withstand the Northeastern pressure to secure the two valuable conference points. Gettings made 17 saves in the win with Hourihan making 38 saves. Maine went 2-6 on the power play while Northeastern went 1-7. Maine and Northeastern will square off again tomorrow for a noon-time conference game that will close out the weekend series. For additional information, please visit our website at www.GoBlackBears.com. |
