ORONO, Maine -- Blaine Byron broke a 2-2 deadlock at 16:27 of the third period with a power-play goal to lead Maine to a 4-2 win against No. 6 Massachusetts-Lowell on Sunday afternoon at Alfond Arena. Maine improves to 7-6-1 on the season and 4-2-1 in Hockey East play while UMass-Lowell falls to 11-5-0, 4-2-0 in conference play. Maine's win snapped UMass-Lowell's six-game winning streak.
Maine jumped out to an early 2-0 lead just 10 minutes into the game behind a pair of power-play goals. Brice O'Connor passed the puck to Cam Brown stationed just above the face-off cirlce. Brown took a few strides before firing the puck past UMass-Lowell goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Eric Schurhamer also assisted on the goal which came just 5:52 into the first period.
Maine added to its lead with a second power-play goal less than five minutes later. Devin Shore found Ben Hutton alone in the slot in transition. Shore got the puck to Hutton, who fired it past Hellebuyck, for his team-leading seventh goal of the season. Connor Leen also picked up an assist on the goal.
UMass-Lowell pulled to within one goal at 14:34 when Derek Arnold fired home a wrap-around attempt that Maine goalie Martin Ouellette was unable to control.
UMass-Lowell tied the game at 2-2 just five second into a power play late in the second period when Ryan McGrath fired a shot from the right face-off circle past Ouellette at 19:24.
The game remained tied until late in the third period. Maine was awarded a power play with 5:15 remaining in regulation. Schurhamer fed the puck to Bryon, who fired a shot at Hellebuyck. The eventual game winner beat Hellebuyck five hole. For Byron, it was his fifth goal of the season. Mark Anthoine picked the the secondary assist on the goal.
Maine capped the scoring with an empty-net goal by Jon Swavely at 19:04 to earn the 4-2 win.
The Black Bears finished the game with a 38-28 edge in shots. Maine was 3-for-5 on the power play, while UMass Lowell converted one of its two attempts.
Maine goalie Martin Ouellette stopped 26 shots en route to his seventh win of the season. He improved to 7-6-1. Hellebuyck made 34 saves and fell to 6-4-0.
