WATERVILLE – It may just have been an exhibition game, but the University of Maine and University of New Hampshire’s hockey teams had regular season intensity and put on a thrilling show for the large crowd at Colby College’s Jack Kelley Rink in the O’Neil/O’Donnell Forum on Saturday night.
The Black Bears squandered a 2-0 lead but won it 3-2 on a goal by freshman left wing Josh Nadeau off a 2-on-0 with 1:50 left.
It was Nadeau’s second goal. HIs line, including brother Bradly and senior center and co-captain Lynden Breen, were involved in all three goals.
Josh Nadeau had an assist to go with his two goals; Breen had a goal and two assists and Carolina Hurricanes first round draft pick Bradly Nadeau had two assists.
Victor Ostman made 22 saves.
Sophomore left wing Stiven Sardarian and freshman center Nick Ring scored third-period goals for UNH and goalies Tyler Muszelik and Jakob Hellsten combined for 27 saves. Muszelik stopped 17 of 18 shots and Hellsten stopped 10 of 12.
“The guys played hard. We came out really strong. But we got to finish (scoring chances) better,” said UMaine head coach Ben Barr. “A couple costly turnovers cost us goals at the end. It was nice to see the guys find a winner.
“There were a lot of positives. We had plenty of chances and power play chances to go up by more and that’s going to be our team learning to keep grinding it and being a little more ruthless (scoring-wise),” Barr added. “We have to learn to take that next step and be more ruthless when we have the chance to be.”
UMaine’s speed was evident from the opening whistle as the Black Bears swarmed the puck and created chances off UNH turnovers, especially in a dominant first period.
UNH played better in the second and third periods and the play was more even although UMaine generated more chances.
“We have a high-tempo team,” said Barr.
His New Brunswick line with Breen and the Nadeaus was impressive.
“They’re all good hockey players and good hockey players find ways to get things done. They are fun to watch,” said Barr.
UMaine had an 11-3 shot advantage in the first period but could only put one behind Muszelik when Josh Nadeau finished off a pretty passing sequence involving Breen and his brother Bradly. Bradly Nadeau made the final cross-ice pass and Josh Nadeau just had to direct it into the open net.
Josh Nadeau, the older of the two brothers, said his first college hockey game was a “good experience.
“I’m fortunate enough to play with two good players and it went very well for me. I got to put two in,” said Nadeau.
Breen made it 2-0 on the power play early in the third period by guiding a perfect pass from Josh Nadeau behind Hellsten.
Sardarian made it 2-1 by chipping a Ring pass past Ostman and Ring scored from close-range off a Sardarian pass from behind the net.
The game-winner was set up by David Breazeale, who flipped the puck high in the air out of the defensive zone to Breen, who was just a few feet to the left of Josh Nadeau.
There were no Wildcats near them as they got trapped in the offensive zone.
“It was good chemistry by our defenseman (Breazeale) to see the open play. He made a good chip to Breener and good players make good plays,” said Nadeau, who sliced across to the far post to make it difficult for Hellsten to cover both of them.
Breen made the pass and Nadeau tapped it in.
“We came out really strong and showed a lot of positives,” said Breen. “We had five or seven minutes in each period where we kind of laid off a little bit. It bit us in the rear end a couple of times.
“It was a good game to learn from,” said Breen who added that they have to do a better job protecting a lead and finishing their chances.
UMaine will open the season against ECAC team Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Thursday and Friday nights at 7 p.m., at Alfond Arena in Orono while UNH hosts Boston University on Friday at 8 p.m.
Proceeds from the ticket sales for the exhibition game went to the Alfond Youth and Community Center in Waterville.