Umaine brings Home Hockey East Championship for the first time in 21 years

The Hockey Team of the University of Maines had not defeated the University of Connecticut this season, lost twice and skating on a 2-2 overtime.

But the Black Bears won the most important so far, a 5-2 victory over the Huskies in the TD Garden in Boston on Friday evening for their first Hockey East Tournament Championship since 2004.

It is a bit surreal, to be honest, said Umaine head coach Ben Barr after the victory. I just try to enjoy it a bit.

Graduated student center and co-captain Lynden Breen and second-year right wing Josh Nadeau Umaine stopped a 2-0 lead in the first period and the black bears never looked back.

Umaine had to be late on Thursday evening in the course of overtime to beat the northeastern 4-3, but did not show any signs of fatigue.

Senior Center Harrison Scott expanded the lead to 3-0 Late in the second period and Senior Left Wing and Umass Transfer Taylor Makar scored a few goals of the third period.

UConn Junior Left Wing Tabor Heaslip scored both UConn goals in the third period.

Umaine improved to 24-7-6, while UConn fell to 22-11-4 after having broken the unbeaten streak of nine games (8-0-1).

Uconn was without graduated student center and third leading Hudson Schandor, who was injured.

Umaine and Uconn will both continue to the NCAA tournament. The black bears will be a number one seed.

Breen opened the score on 12:47 of the first period with his seventh goal of the season and Nadeau converted on the Power Play 3:42 later.

It was Nadeaus 10th.

Nadeau has set up the goal of Breens by throwing a soft pass at him out of the defensive zone.

The Puck landed behind a defender of Huskies, so Breen was able to skate on it who created a two-on-one with Owen Fowler.

Breen ran over the right wing, cut against the inner half of the right faceoff circle and shot a wrist shot between UConn -goalkeeper Tyler Muszeliks -Bones.

Nadeau made it 2-0 with a sparkling Rinkleng-Rush.

He grabbed the puck of Umaine goalkeeper Albin Boija in the defensive zone, sprinted the ice with a full head of steam and then split a few Husky defenders before he shot back the grain to beat Muszelik, who had gone from his left to him left around the corner.

Boija earned an assist who was the second of his career.

The Huskies quickly came out in the second period and generated the first 12 shot attempts and five shots on goal.

But Boija made a few rescues and the Black Bears finally expanded the lead when Scott reported his team -leading 18th with 3:23 in the middle period.

Umaine Senior defender and co-captain David Breazeal skated on a separate Puck High in the slit and took a wrist shot that hit a Husky players' stick and jumped into the air.

UConn -defender Trey Scott hit the Puck and got a piece of it, but it fell down for Scott, who wiped it out of the air via Muszelikspads.

Heaslip made it 3-1 3:11 in the third period when he opened in the low lock and a nice pass from behind the net through Kaden Shahan past Boija.

But Makar defeated Muszelik with a wrist from the top of the left circle to restore the pillow of three goals and he added an empty nicer and Heaslip noted his second.

Makars goals were his 17th and 18th.

Boija ended with 27 Saves and was chosen for the most valuable player of the tournaments, while Muszelik ended 19 stops.

Umaines Breazeale and fellow defender Luke Antonacci, Scott and Junior Left Wing Owen Fowler joined Boija in the All-Tournament team together with UConn Junior Right Wing Joey Muldowey.

It's cool to see these guys, Breazeal and Breen and Scott and [Nolan] Renwick, have this moment. They put a lot of work in it, Barr said in an interview after the game with Nesns George Balekji. All these fans come here from Maine. It's crazy how much blue is here.

Barr said he was a bit shocked how his team responded after playing a double overtime match on Thursday evening.

They always seem to find a little extra, Barr said. It would have been easy to get flat after that long time last night and last night and they did exactly the opposite. It is an honor to how hard they have worked, starting in the summer.

They say they can always find an extra 30 percent, Barr added. It's pretty cool.

Boija said his MVP prize is an honor for the team. That is what it has happened. I get the honor for it, but it's all on my teammates.

Breen has credited Boija with a huge piece for us who gave us a chance every match this season.

“It's incredible, Breen added. Just a special group of boys who really put it all at stake.

Breen then focused his attention on the upcoming NCAA tournament.

“We really just kept it together and gave it all at the right time. And we are not ready yet, we're going to continue,” said Breen. “So this is great, we are going to enjoy it tonight, and then we will prepare for next weekend and let it come. We have an extra level to reach. I love this group, and it's special.”

Senior Center Renwick said it felt great on Friday evening.

We have taken a long way. Said Breen to me in the [celebratory] Stack that we won seven games, my first year. We started at the bottom and were here now. We lived that, said Renwick. It's pretty cool.