AUBURN, ME– In a rematch of last year’s playoffs, the Maryland Black Bears travelled back to Maine to get some kind of revenge for their early playoff exit in April. The Black Bears showed their full effect on Friday night with a big win and a spirited effort on Saturday to get the overtime win and the full four points.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 3rd, 2025: BLACK BEARS (6) at Maine (1): The Black Bears wasted no time to open the scoring, as Harrison Smith got a pass from Brady Anes and cut through the defense, picking up his own rebound to open the scoring 1:55 into the game and make it 1-0 Maryland. Maine started to charge back, but Dom Gatto made some solid saves to keep Maryland in the lead. After killing a penalty, the Black Bears rewarded their goalie with Josh Frenette streaking down the wing and cutting in front of the net and put behind the goalie to make it 2-0 Black Bears. Penalty issues would haunt Maryland in the latter part of the frame, but the penalty kill was solid by not letting the Maine power play set-up to keep the two-goal lead. Maryland would extend their lead with Harrison Smith potting his second of the game in a give-and-go with Owen Drury and Smith finishing with a sweep shot that went five-hole to make it 3-0. Maine would get one back 20 seconds later with Henry Butte getting behind the defense and getting Maine on the board, but the Black Bears would lead after 20 minutes 3-1.
At just over five minutes into the second period, the Black Bears would strike again with Smith getting his hat trick goal, picking up his own rebound in the slot to make it 4-1 Maryland. Just two minutes later, on the power play, Victor Mannebratt hammered a Vincent Glos set-up pass that hit the cross-bar and in to extend the Black Bears lead to 5-1. There was no love-loss between the teams, as the physicality and chippy play started to flourish, with both sides getting dinged on calls. With under seven minutes left, Frenette got his second tally of the night on the power play with a floater of a shot that fooled the goalie and made it 6-1 for Maryland. At the other end, Gatto continued his solid play and helped keep the scoreline at 6-1 after two periods.
Maryland’s penalty kill was front and center for the first half of the third, as four penalties would go against the Black Bears. However, the PK continued its dominance, shutting down the Maine power play and going perfect on the night. While the Black Bears did have two power plays of their own, they did not connect. But their lead was insurmountable and took the Friday night match-up 6-1 over Maine.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4th, 2025: BLACK BEARS (3) at Maine (2) OT: Maine started fast as they scored 1:16 into the game with Joe Gasperko getting a pass into the middle and putting Maine up 1-0. Maryland would then start to get their offense going with sustained pressure in the zone, but couldn’t find the back of the net in the early going. Maine got into penalty trouble, allowing Maryland to keep the pressure on. After a 5-on-3 kill, Harrison Smith tied the game up, putting home the rebound in front and tying the game midway through the frame. The hitting picked up and Maine looked to stretch the play, but Ryan Denes was solid in making key saves to keep the game 1-1 through 20 minutes.
Maryland’s penalty kill was on display with them killing off all four of the disadvantages they had. The offense was trying to pressure through, but couldn’t find the go-ahead goal. It wasn’t until midway through the period when Maine would break the tie as Marshall McCharles got credit for a goal that pinballed around the front of the Maryland cage and went in. Denes was solid throughout the rest of the period, coming up big many times to keep the deficit at one. Maryland had a chance late shorthanded, but Tanner Duncan couldn’t bury it and Maryland went into the second intermission down 2-1.
The Black Bears got back even early with Victor Mannebratt tallied the game-tying goal only 39 seconds into the third. Maryland and Maine were pressuring the respective nets and trying to find the go-ahead. Each team had their penalty kills in full effect and killed the disadvantages they had. Maryland pressured late with a double-minor power play, but couldn’t find the go-ahead tally– pushing it into overtime.
In a back and forth affair, the Black Bears ended the game with 1:07 left when Cole Peters hammered home a drop pass from Smith to give the Black Bears the full four points on the weekend and a sweep of the weekend.
The Black Bears are back home next weekend taking on the New Hampshire Mountain Kings. Tickets are available at Tickets.MarylandBlackBears.com or the Piney Orchard ticket office.
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