Maine stomps all over UMass Lowell 8-2

MAINE'S MARK NEMEC SWEEPS PUCK FROM OPEN NET (PHOT BDN/MICHAEL YORK)

The University of Maine men’s ice hockey team opened the 2010-2011 campaign scoring four goals in the first 13:36 of the opening period and cruised past UMass Lowell 8-2. The victory was the 200th for Maine head coach Tim Whitehead
at the helm of the Black Bears. Sophomore forward Joey Diamond (Long Beach, N.Y.) had two goals and two assists to lead the Black Bears.

Maine opened the scoring with a goal just 69 seconds into the season. Spencer Abbott (Hamilton, Ontario) won a face-off to  Diamond on the boards. Diamond then found Mike Cornell (Franklin, Mass.) on the blueline. Cornell fired a shot at the goal
that Robby Dee (Plymouth, Minn.) tapped into the back of the net. Adam Shemansky (Robbinsville, N.J.) then collected the rebound of a Josh Van Dyk (Woodstock, Ontario) shot to put Maine ahead 2-0 just 5:13 into the game.


Sophomore Kyle Beattie (Avondale, Ariz.) extended Maine’s lead to 3-0 at 11:38 of the first period. Mike Banwell (Scarborough, Ontario) and Mark Anthoine (Lewiston, Maine) teamed up to find Beattie in transition. Diamond then picked off a pass
between two River Hawk defensemen and skated in along on UMass Lowell goalie Doug Carr. Diamond fired the puck past Carr for his first goal of the season.

Diamond netted his second goal of the game just 1:16 into the second period to extend Maine’s lead to 5-0. Cornell and Abbott each assisted on Diamond’s second goal of the game.

Maine captain Tanner House (Cochrane, Alberta) got on the scoreboard for the first time this season when he beat Lowell goalie Marc Boulanger at 14:25 of the second period. Defensemen Will O’Neill (Salem, Mass.) and Jeff Dimmen (Colorado Springs,
Colo.) each assisted on the power play tally.

Lowell got on the board just 28 seconds later. Scott Campbell beat Maine goalie Shawn Sirman (Blezard Valley, Ontario) while the River Hawks were on the power play.

House opened the third period with his second goal of the game just 55 second into the third period. Linemates Gustav Nyquist (Malmo, Sweden) and Brian Flynn (Lynnfield, Mass.) each picked up an assist on the goal.

Abbott tallied the eighth goal of the game for the Black Bears at 1:16 of the third period.

Michael Budd capped the scoring for UMass Lowell at 17:41 of the third period.

Maine finished the game with a 42-22 advantage in shots on goal. The Black Bears finished 1-for-4 on the power play, while the River Hawks were 1-for-6.

Maine goalie Sirman made 18 saves in 50:34 minutes of play. He picks up the win and improves ot 1-0-0 on the season. Rookie Dan Sullivan (York, Pa.) stopped two shots in 9:26.

Carr picked up the loss for the River Hawks. He made 12 saves in 20 minutes of play. Boulanger made 22 saves in the final 40 minutes of game.

The Black Bears return to action on Saturday, Oct. 9 when they host UConn at 7 PM. Tickets are available for the game and can be purchased at the door.

UNIVERSITY OF MAINE