Icecats 2, Maine 1
Exploiting Maine's backup after starting goalie Ben Bishop went out early in the second, UNH avenged Friday night's loss with a 2-1 win before a buzzing sellout at the Whittemore Center. Kevin Regan made a career-high 46 saves to collect his 18th win of the season.
UMO (17-8-7, 10-8-1) 1-0-0 -- 1
UNH (20-5-1, 15-3-1) 0-2-0 -- 2
UNH came out flying, but its momentum was swiped by three penalties -- the third of which proved fatal. After the 'Cats had trouble clearing the zone, Maine's power play eventually got the puck to Teddy Purcell all alone on the left post and he put it home on the short side.
After colliding with Trevor Smith early in the second, Bishop left the game and UNH took advantage of substitute Dave Wilson twice nine minutes the Wildcats capitalized. Both came on the power play, the first coming from Matt Fornataro in the left faceoff circle (at 7:06) and the second coming from Mike Radja (at 11:40) after he stuffed home the rebound of a Fornataro shot.
GAME NOTES
- Contrary to Coach Dick Umile's projection last night, Brett Hemingway was in the UNH lineup, and alongside Mike Radja and Jacob Micflikier on the first line.
- It was Whiteout the Whit night, and ThunderStix were furnished, so the pre-game noise was as loud as it's been in this building at any point in the last four years.
- Bishop was pulled at the 16:47 mark of the second after a collision with Trevor Smith almost two minutes earlier. He attempted to continue, but a groin injury was too painful.
- Freshman Dave Wilson, who came in with a .688 save percentage, finished the game in goal for Maine and stopped 21 of 23 shots.
- The collision between Bishop and Smith at the 18:13 mark of the second set of a donnybrook in the corner that resulted in three penalties per side.
- Smith would wind up with nine minutes worth of penalties in the second period, collecting two minors in that skirmish and then setting off another with a hit that warranted five minutes for charging. UNH killed that penalty, though, thanks largely to a few great saves by Regan.
- New Hampshire was whistled for 13 penalties lasting 29 minutes, while Maine earned 11 for 22 minutes. The Wildcats made good on 2 of 5 power play chances, while the Black Bears were just 1 for 7.
- Nineteen of Maine's 47 shots came on the power play, including 11 of their 18 tries in the second period.
- Maine's Michele Leveille put 10 shots on net, but Regan stopped each of them.
- Nobody in the game had a plus-minus rating, since all three goals came on the power play.
- All the penalties and skirmishes made for an exceptionally long game. It lasted 2 hours, 42 minutes, easily the team's longest game this season.
- UNH has now won at least 20 games in 11 straight seasons.
- As of 1 a.m., UNH was still tied with Minnesota and St. Cloud State for the top spot in the PairWise Rankings. Scores weren't final, though: Minnesota was playing in Alaska, while St. Cloud was idle.
POST-GAME AUDIO
