LEWISTON, ME– In a rematch of last season’s East Division Final, the Maryland Black Bears travelled to take on the Maine Nordiques. With revenge on their mind, Maine was able to take both games on the weekend, leaving Maryland only a single point to take back to Piney Orchard.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 13th, 2023: BLACK BEARS (1) at Maine (4): New goalie Owen Lepak was tested early and often in the first period, as the Black Bears allowed some odd man rushes at the start, but Lepak was solid in net and limiting any rebound chances there could be. Maine would get on the Black Bears defense most of the period, outshooting Maryland 20-8 in the first 20. Maryland would also get into penalty trouble in the second half of the frame and while they killed the first penalty, Nick Romeo made Maryland pay with putting in a rebound at the side of the net to give Maine the lead going into the first intermission at 1-0.
In the second, Maryland was able to get their offensive side going, dictating the pace of play early, but not finding anything behind Thomas Heaney. While Maryland was solid, they did give up some chances thanks to some penalties through the period, but Lepak was able to fend off the attack.
Starting on the power play in the third, Maryland tried what they could, but could not find the back of the net. While making a push, Maine was able to use their transition game; leading to Cody Pisarczyk putting home his fifth of the year to make it 2-0 for Maine. The Black Bears continued their push, but Maine was able to counterpunch back and with under five minutes remaining Romeo scored off an odd man rush to put Maine up 3-0 late in the period. The Black Bears were able to break the shutout with Jesse Horacek snapping home his fifth of the campaign off a great pass from Dimitry Kebreau to make it 3-1. However, with Lepak pulled, Maryland couldn’t find another goal and Pisarczyk found the open net to make it a 4-1 Maine victory in game one of the weekend.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 14th, 2023: BLACK BEARS (3) at Maine (4) OT: The Black Bears started faster than they did on Friday, gaining an early power play. However, the power play didn’t start great with Shane Kozlina scoring for Maine to open the scoring shorthanded. That goal ended Colin Ronan’s shutout streak at 213 minutes and 33 seconds. Maryland would strike back at the end of the power play, as Luke Rubin redirected a Dylan Gordon shot to knot the game up at one. The Black Bears continued their pressure, peppering the net and using their forecheck to maintain the attack, but the intermission would see the scoreboard at 1-1.
Maryland continued their onslaught of the Maine net with continuous pressure, but were not able to find the back of it. However, after the midway part of the period, the Black Bears got the lead with Matthew Croxall tipping home another Gordon shot to make it 2-1 Black Bears. Only 43 seconds later, Dimitry Kebreau finds a loose puck in the slot and rips one home to make it 3-1 Maryland. At the other end, Colin Ronan made some big saves in the frame to keep the lead for Maryland heading into the third.
Knowing they needed to come back, Maine was able to put their own pressure on in the third and were helped by Maryland taking some penalties at the middle of the frame. While the Black Bears killed all the penalties and created some offensive chances shorthanded, Maine was able to make it 3-2 with the extra attacker with Charles Tardif putting one home at the side of the net with only 25.7 seconds remaining. With the goalie still pulled, Maine was able to gain the zone and Maryland’s defense was unable to get it out of the zone; leaving three Maine players unchecked by the net. That led to Tardif putting home another goal with only 5.5 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.
In the overtime, Maryland started with possession first, getting a lone shot off before Maine took over. On a delayed penalty call on Maryland, Nick Romeo received a drop pass and banked a shot off of Ronan’s pad and in for the game winner and the sweep.
The Black Bears return home to take on the expansion New Hampshire Mountain Kings. Tickets are available at Tickets.MarylandBlackBears.com ahead of the game or at the Piney Orchard box office on game day.
Clutch And Crab Hockey 