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Maine Lose Heartbreaker, 3-2
March 4, 2005
Orono, Maine - Maine 14-14-3 (5-12-2 HE) had a tough task coming into this weekend series, sweep the third place Hockey East UConn Huskies (14-11-8, 10-5-2 HE) and hope that Boston College loses both games at New Hampshire. The Black Bears season will end tomorrow with their final home game at 12:00pm after losing a tough battle to the Huskies, 3-2. Despite outshooting UConn 39 to 15, Maine fall short of making the playoffs. The Black Bears scorers were freshman Sheri Wauters (Kamloops, BC) and sophomore forward Sonia Corriveau (Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec). Maine spent the majority of the first period in the UConn end as they dominated in shots 12 to 4. In the first stanza, the Huskies blocked six shots alone as Maine tried to get on the board first. Maine's best chance came halfway through the period when sophomore defenseman Kelly Law (Markham, Ontario) put a shot on net that was blocked, but found it's way to senior captain Tristan Desmet (Strathmore, Alberta) who was on the back post. Kaitlyn Shain, UConn's goaltender got to the back post just in time as Desmet tried to stuff in the puck. UConn's best opportunity came with 12:40 gone in the game when Natalie Vibert found herself one-on-one with sophomore goaltender Rachel Gettings (Watervliet, N.Y.). Gettings came up huge with a toe-save on Vibert to keep the game scoreless. Maine's persistence paid off when freshman forward Sheri Wauters (Kamloops, BC) put the Black Bears up 1-0 with her second career goal with 7:48 remaining in the period. Freshman forwards Danielle Tangredi (London, Ontario) and Abby Krause (South Moorhead, Minn.) recorded their second asssists of the year on the goal. At the intermission, Maine led 1-0.
The first three minutes of the second period belonged to the Huskies as they scored two quick goals to regain the lead. 53 seconds into the period, Jaclyn Hawkins scored to knot the game at 1-1 off a pass from Jennifer Houlden. Hawkins scored an unassisted and her second goal of the game 2:58 into the period to take the lead 2-1. Maine outshot UConn 15 to 7 but couldn't get one past Shain who stopped all 15 shots she faced to keep the score 2-1 heading into the third period. Both teams remained scoreless on power play chances with Maine 0-2 and UConn 0-3. Six minutes into the third period, Natalie Vibert gave UConn a two-goal cushion with a power-play goal. Vibert was setup by Angie Wallace on the goal that made it 3-1. At the 14:37 mark, Sonia Corriveau (Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec) brought Maine within one, 3-2, with an even-strength goal. Law and Brigitte Laflamme (St.Augustin, Quebec) registered assists on Corriveau's ninth goal of the season. Maine continued to fore-check and pepper Shain with shots, but nothing would get past her. In the third period, Maine outshot UConn 11 to 3. With 2:08 remaining, Maine called a time-out and pulled Gettings to make it a 6 on 5 advantage. It was an intense two minutes that ended in disappointment for Maine, the fans and the seniors who will lace their skates up in a Maine uniform for the last time tomorrow. Maine finished 0-5 on the power play, with UConn going 1-6. Gettings finished with 12 saves on 15 shots faced to Shain's 37 saves on 39 shots faced. The Black Bears will recognize their four seniors prior to tomorrow's game against UConn that begins at 12:00pm. Maine has the chance to finish the year with a winning record for just the third time in program history. For more information go to www.GoBlackBears.com. |
