Tavernier Scores to Send Merrimack Past Maine in Overtime, 3-2
Sophomore forward Sami Tavernier scores in overtime for Warriors

Sophomore forward Sami Tavernier scored in overtime for the Warriors
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 5:10  MER1-0 EV Tyler Drevitch (2)Aaron Titcomb/2, Patrick Kramer/1
1st 15:02  MNE1-1 PP Tim Doherty (8)Nolan Vesey/9
2nd 2:22  MER2-1 SH Brett Seney (11) -
3rd 12:44  MNE2-2 PP Mitchell Fossier (9)Patrick Holway/12, Chase Pearson/20
OT 3:36  MER3-2 EV GW Sami Tavernier (8)Jared Kolquist/17
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd OT Final
Merrimack  11013
Maine  10102
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd OT SOG
Merrimack  15128136
Maine  8919238
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Merrimack (8-16-4)  0/5 6/12 1
Maine (15-10-4)  2/5 6/12 0
Merrimack Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 OT Saves
Drew Vogler (W, 1-6-2)63:292 7918236
Empty Net0:070      
Maine Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 OT Saves
Jeremy Swayman (L, 12-6-3)63:363 14118033

ORONO, Maine - In a fierce Hockey East battle at Alfond Arena on Saturday night, the Merrimack Warriors got a goal from Sami Tavernier with 1:24 remaining in overtime to sneak past the University of Maine men's hockey team, 3-2.

The loss moves Maine to 15-10-4 overall and 9-7-3 in Hockey East play while the win bumps Merrimack to 8-16-4 overall and 5-12-2 in conference play. Maine finished 5-for-5 on the penalty kill and went 2-for-5 on the power-play with Mitchell Fossier's equalizer in the third and Tim Doherty's score in the first. Jeremy Swayman finished with 33 saves for the Black Bears while Drew Vogler had 36 for the Warriors.

Merrimack carried the early run of play and jumped out to the 1-0 edge on Tyler Drevitch's second goal of the year just over five minutes into the opening frame. Just seconds after a Maine penalty had expired, Patrick Kramer worked the puck to Aaron Titcomb on the blue line for a slap shot. Drevitch was able to tip the puck inside the right post.

Though the Warriors continued to carry the edge in shots during the period, the Black Bears received solid goaltending from Swayman - making 14 saves in the period - and were able to generate chances going back the other way as well. It took 10 minutes, but Maine the perseverance paid off and Doherty's power-play tally evened it up. After a Merrimack defenseman failed to clear Brady Keeper's rebound, Nolan Vesey intercepted the puck at the left dot and slotted it to Doherty at the top of the crease. Doherty one-timed it home for his eighth of the year.

Once again, Merrimack took the lead early into the second period. Brett Seney's unassisted short-handed goal - streaking down the right wing and shooting the puck far side to the top left corner - put the visitors up, 2-1.

In the middle stanza, Brendan Robbins ripped a shot off the cross bar and Eduards Tralmaks was set up for a one-timer in the slot but the puck found Vogler. Meanwhile, Maine's defense buckled down and Swayman made two huge saves on the penalty kill on back-to-back shots at the edge of the crease from Marc BIega and Alfred Larsson.

The Black Bears came out flying to start the third period, with Sam Becker tinging the post just seconds after the opening face-off and then having a dangerous look after that blocked away. Vesey used his speed a few minutes later to go in on Vogler with a breakaway but the goaltender stopped the backhand bid with his glove at the post.

Fossier tied the game with 7:16 to play, collecting the puck from Patrick Holway on the right circle and beating Vogler.

Maine would outshoot Merrimack in overtime, 2-1, but Jared Kolquist slipped a pass across the ice to a streaking Tavernier and he was able to rush down the right wing and put it far side. Maine held the final edge in shots on goal (38-36).

The Black Bears will travel to Providence on Friday, Feb. 9 in its only game of the weekend before heading to rival New Hampshire on Wednesday, Feb. 14.