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Heading into a weekend where nothing but victories were expected, the University of Maine men’s hockey team didn’t disappoint, sweeping the University of Massachusetts Lowell, 4-0 Friday night and 3-0 Saturday night.
It was a historic weekend for the Black Bears, as junior forward Brian Flynn and senior center Tanner House became the 49th and 50th members of the UMaine 100-career point club.
The Black Bears improve to 14-10-6 on the season and 11-8-4 in Hockey East while the River Hawks fall to 4-23-2 and 3-19 in HEC.
Friday’s game started out slow for each team, as no one scored in the opening period during what was NESN star Tom Caron bobblehead night at the Tsongas Center. The Black Bears outshot the River Hawks 14-5 in the opening frame.
The Black Bears were able to find the net just over 2 minutes into the second period, when sophomore forward Matt Mangene tipped in senior defender Mike Banwell’s shot. Sophomore forward Joey Diamond also received an assist on the opening goal.
The Black Bears doubled their lead with a power play goal with less than 5 minutes left in the second period. After River Hawks sophomore forward Riley Wetmore was booked for tripping, UMaine senior center Robby Dee found sophomore forward Kyle Beattie, who shuffled the puck over to senior defender Jeff Dimmen at the right face-off circle.
Dimmen fired a shot that beat River Hawks freshman goalie Marc Boulanger. It was the fourth goal of the season for the assistant captain.
After two periods, the Black Bears tripled the River Hawks in shots at 30-10.
The third period was the Flynn show, as the Black Bears’ leading scorer added two more to his total of 16.
Eight minutes into the period, Flynn struck with his first goal after flicking the puck past Boulanger. Mangene and freshman forward Jon Swavely each assisted on the play; for Swavely it was his second career point.
With 5 1/2 minutes remaining, Flynn finished the scoring with a one-timer past Boulanger. Dimmen tallied another point with an assist on the goal, as the Black Bears cruised to the 4-0 victory.
The Black Bears picked up Saturday night where they left off the night before, scoring twice in the opening period for an early lead.
Junior forward Gustav Nyquist continued his February scoring tear, putting one in within 8 minutes. Off the faceoff, Flynn found Nyquist who fired it past River Hawks freshman goalie Doug Carr. The assist marked the 100th point for Flynn.
On the next Black Bear goal, House followed Flynn to the exclusive club after he found Diamond in the slot. Diamond beat Carr for his 11th goal of the season.
Midway through the second period, Nyquist scored his second goal of the game — his third multi-goal game in his last six. After Diamond went to the box for tripping, Nyquist gained possession in the neutral zone and blew by the UMass Lowell defenders to five-hole Carr for his 15th goal of the season.
In fact, Nyquist has scored more goals this month — nine — than he has the rest of the season combined — six.
Black Bears freshman goalie Dan Sullivan picked up the two shutout victories. After being out with an injury for five weeks, Sullivan might have been rushed back last weekend, getting pulled midway through the first period against the University of Vermont. The freshman looked to be back in game condition, gaining his first two career shutouts.
The Black Bears return home this weekend for their final home series of the season when they take on No. 6 Merrimack College. With the way the standings in HEC are shaping out, the Black Bears could meet the Warriors in the first round, as Merrimack sits in third and the Black Bears in fifth.
