Engineers Upended at Maine

Photo by Sara Melikian

Box Score

Portland, ME -- The University of Maine scored the go-ahead goal at the 8:59 mark of the second period and went on the beat Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 4-1, in front of 6,620 at the Cumberland County Civic Center. The Black Bears improve to 7-9-2 overall (3-6-2 Hockey East), while the Engineers fall to 8-10-3 (3-2-2).

Wes Clark (Oakville, ON/Milton Icehawks) finished a centering pass from Rob Bellamy (Westfield, MA/N.E. Junior Coyotes). Billy Ryan (Milton, MA/Cushing Academy) was credited with the second assist.

After RPI controlled play for the early moments of the first period, Maine got scored the first goal on their third shot at 6:37. Black Bears forward Lem Randall (Snow Lake, MB/OCN Blizzard) redirected a Travis Ramsey (Lakewood, CA/Salmon Arm Silverbacks) point shot to give Maine a 1-0, lead. Freshman Robby Dee (Plymouth, MN/Omaha Lancers) picked up the second assist.

Engineers goaltender Mathias Lange (Klagenfurt, Austria/New York Apple Core) stopped a 2-on-0 shorthanded breakaway at the 15:00 mark of the first to keep Maine within a goal.

Freshman Chase Polacek (Edina, MN/Academy of Holy Angels) scored for RPI to even the game at 1-1, six minutes into the second period. Polacek slid the puck through a screen into the corner of the net after receiving a pass from classmate Tyler Helfrich (Calgary, AB/Prince George Spurce Kings).

Jeff Marshall tallied a shorthanded goal to put the Black Bears ahead, 3-1. He stole the puck on the forecheck and beat Lange to his glove side.

Ryan notched an empty net tally for the Black Bears at 17:40 of the third, to extend their lead to 4-1.

The Engineers scored a late goal as Seth Klerer (Thornhill, ON/North York Rangers) brought RPI within 4-2 at 19:17 of the third. He was assisted by Scott Halpern (Boca Raton, FL/Bay State Breakers) and Bryan Brutlag (Lakeville, MN/Academy of Holy Angels)

Ben Bishop made 17 saves for Maine, improving to 7-8-2 on the year. Lange, who made 33 stops, falls to 4-5-2.

Rensselaer is back in action next Friday and Saturday, when it resumes its ECAC Hockey schedule with home games against Cornell and Colgate, respectively. Both games will be played at the Houston Field House and will begin at 7pm.