FAIRPORT, NY– After a home split, the Maryland Black Bears took to the road in order to get some steps closer to the East Division title. After a quick start to the game, the Maryland offense took center stage, with the penalty kill being a support group late in the game, to give the Black Bears the Game 3 victory.
The Black Bears started quickly, with Maryland creating a turnover and Harrison Smith finding Tanner Duncan to make it 1-0 only 1:03 into the game. It wouldn’t last long, as Maryland provided a turnover of their own with Cameron Doran tying the game up only 54 seconds later. Maryland would wake their offense up with sustained chances on net, which resulted in Owen Drury snapping a shot home on the rush to make it 2-1 just past the halfway point of the period. Ryan Denes made some key saves during the first, allowing Maryland to keep the lead after 20 minutes of play.
In the second, the Black Bears had an extended power play with a major penalty to Rochester, then having a two-man advantage for a time– which allowed Kris Krumins to redirect a Smith shot to make it 3-1 on the power play. Moments later, Smith would find Duncan again for a big one-timer to make it a 4-1 Maryland lead. Just past the midway point of the period and while 4-on-4, Daniel Johnson used the space he had to rip a shot home from the top of the circles to give the Black Bears a 5-1 lead. Rochester would get one back late with Dexter Kichline throwing a shot on net that handcuffed Denes to make it 5-2 after 40 minutes.
The third period was all about the Maryland penalty kill, as the Black Bears took four penalties in the period, but the penalty kill was there to keep things steady. Plenty of blocks in their own zone and a couple of shorthanded breaks allowed Maryland to go a perfect 7-for-7 on the penalty kill on the night. Denes was able to lock down his crease, allowing the Black Bears to take Game 3 by a score of 5-2.
Game 4 happens on Friday night, with the Black Bears looking to sweep their road schedule in the playoffs, taking on Rochester with the puck drop at 7 PM.
Clutch And Crab Hockey 