Sophomore defenseman Brandon Chabrier scored his fifth goal of the season just 1:16 into the game and that was the only one the University of Maine’s hockey team was to need as freshman goalie Albin Boija made 15 saves for his first career shutout as the Black Bears triumphed 1-0 over the University of Massachusetts at the Mullins Center in Amherst, Mass. Saturday night.
The Black Bears, ranked fifth in one national poll and sixth in another, improved to 17-5-2 overall and 9-4-1 in Hockey East.
No. 11 UMass fell to 14-7-3 and 7-5-2, respectively.
It was the first time the Minutemen have been shut out this season and it was just their third loss in 13 home games (8-3-2).
Donavan Houle and Brandon Holt picked up assists on Chabrier’s goal.
“Either [Houle or Holt] poked the puck past their forward and I got past their defenseman and, luckily enough, I got a nice two-on-one break pretty fast and I put it in the net,” said Chabrier, whose shot beat 6-foot-7 freshman goalie Michael Hrabal to the far post from the left circle.
“I made a little move to try to get him down because I felt that was my only option,” added Charbier. “I put it in a spot where maybe I thought it could slip in and luckily it did.”
He credited Houle and Holt with getting the puck to him to create the two-on-one.
The Minutemen appeared to have tied it in the second period but UMaine head coach Ben Barr challenged the goal for a possible offsides. Upon video review the referees agreed and waved off the goal.
UMaine head coach Ben Barr said a “big assist” should go to UMaine director of hockey operations Nick Fonzi for that vital wave-off.
“We don’t have instant replay on the bench but Nick called down and told us,” said Barr.
Barr was pleased with the win, which came after Friday night’s 6-3 loss at Northeastern.
“It’s hard to get a win on the road against a really good team,” said Barr, the former associate head coach at UMass under current head coach Greg Carvel. “The guys battled hard. There wasn’t a lot of (open) ice even though we were on a big (ice) sheet. It was a pretty tight game.”
The Mullns Center ice surface is 10 feet wider (95 feet to 85 feet) than UMaine’s Alfond Arena.
“It was a pretty defensive game,” said Chabrier. “That was kind of our game plan. Play hard on them defensively and not give them a lot of room to breathe and it worked out.”
Barr praised his freshman goalie from Sweden.
“He was really composed and poised,” said Barr. “His mental toughness is one of his strengths. You can put him in a tough situation and he doesn’t get rattled.”
Boija hasn’t allowed more than two goals in any of his five starts and seven appearances.
Hrabal, who is from Czechia and is a second round draft pick of the Arizona Coyotes (38th overall), finished with 21 saves.
UMaine hosts Providence for a pair of 7 p.m. games at the Alfond Arena on Friday and Saturday nights while UMass will play a home-and-home series against UConn.
