Late Wilkins Goal Sends Providence Past Maine, 4-3
Sophomore forward Josh Wilkins scores goal and assist for Friars

Sophomore forward Josh Wilkins scored a goal and an assist for the Friars
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 0:38  MNE1-0 EV Tim Doherty (10)Nolan Vesey/12
1st 8:10  MNE2-0 PP Tim Doherty (11)Nolan Vesey/13, Veli-Matti Tiuraniemi/4
1st 11:01  PRV1-2 EV Erik Foley (16)Josh Wilkins/15, Vincent Desharnais/11
1st 11:42  PRV2-2 EV Bailey Conger (1)Kasper Björkqvist/7
2nd 12:43  MNE3-2 PP Veli-Matti Tiuraniemi (3)Nolan Vesey/14
2nd 18:35  PRV3-3 PP Scott Conway (12)Brandon Duhaime/17, Spenser Young/8
3rd 16:50  PRV4-3 EV GW Josh Wilkins (14)Jacob Bryson/21
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Maine  2103
Providence  2114
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Maine  79824
Providence  17141041
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Maine (18-15-4)  2/3 7/14 0
Providence (21-10-4)  1/5 5/21 0
Maine Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Jeremy Swayman (L, 15-11-3)58:554 1513937
Empty Net1:050     
Providence Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Hayden Hawkey (W, 21-10-3)60:003 58821

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The No. 9/10 Providence College men's hockey team defeated the University of Maine Black Bears, 4-3, in Game One of the Hockey East Quarterfinals on March 9 at Schneider Arena.

SCORE

No. 9/10 Providence - 4 | Maine - 3

RECORDS

Providence - 21-10-4 (13-7-4 HEA) | Maine - 18-15-4 (10-11-3 HEA)

VENUE

Schneider Arena - Providence, R.I.

GOALIES

Hayden Hawkey (PC) - 21 saves
Jeremy Swayman (UM) - 37 saves

NOTES

- Maine's Tim Doherty scored for the Black Bears on the opening shift of the game. Nolan Vesey played the puck to Doherty, who found himself alone in front. He deked to the backhand and beat Hayden Hawkey for his 10th goal of the year.

- Doherty struck again for Maine at the 8:10 mark of the first. His goal, which came on the power play this time, was again assisted by Vesey. Veli Tiuraniem played the puck down the left boards for Vesey, who slapped a cross-ice pass to Doherty for the quick wrister.

- The two-goal game marked Doherty's first of the season.

- Erik Foley responded and the Friars on the board with a goal at the 11:01 mark of the first. Foley received the puck from Josh Wilkins and beat Jeremy Swayman with a wrist shot blocker side. Vincent Desharnais picked up the secondary assist on Foley's 16th strike of the year.

- Just 41 seconds later, Bailey Conger tied the game for the Friars with his first career goal. Kasper Bjorkqvist took a shot from right in front that Swayman was able to save, but Conger was there to shove home the rebound.

- Veli Tiuraniemi cashed in on the Black Bears' second power play opportunity of the day with 7:17 remaining in the second. He took a writer from the high slot that found its way through traffic and past Hawkey for a 3-2 lead.

- Once again, Providence was able to respond. Scott Conway grabbed his seventh power play goal of the year with 1:25 left in the second to tie the game at 3-3. Brandon Duhaime skated through traffic and shoveled the puck to Conway, who was just above the goal line. The odd angle didn't hold the junior back from notching the game-tying goal.

- With 6:14 remaining in the game, Foley was called for a five-minute major and game misconduct for checking from behind. The Friars were set for a five-minute kill, but Maine was cited for a too many men on the ice penalty 1:25 in.

- The teams went to 4-on-4 action, where Wilkins was able to convert with the game-winner. Jacob Bryson's wrap-around attempt was denied by Swayman, but Wilkins was there to chip in the rebound.

- The game-winner marks Wilkins' fourth of the year.

- The Friars have now won 13-consecutive games against the Black Bears and hold a 17-game unbeaten streak against the Black Bears (16-0-1).

- Providence now holds a five-game home winning streak in the Hockey East Tourament.

- Foley's 16th goal of the season marks a career-high for the junior, while Wilkins' 14th strike was also a career-high.

- Conway has six goals over his last nine games.

- Nate Leaman recorded his 149th career win at Providence and sits two wins shy of matching Paul Pooley (151 wins) for second place on the program's all-time wins list.

- The Friars improved to 5-3 all-time against Maine in the quarterfinal round of the Hockey East Tournament.

- Providence came back from a two-goal deficit to win a game for the first time this season.

HOW THEY SCORED

1-0 (Maine) - 0:38/1st - EV - Tim Doherty (Vesey) - Deke to the backhand in front

2-0 (Maine) - 8:10/1st - PP - Tim Doherty (Vesey, Tiuraniemi) - Cross-ice pass for a quick wrister at the bottom of the right circle

2-1 (PC) - 11:01/1st - EV - Erik Foley (Wilkins, Desharnais) - Wilkins pass from behind the net to Foley in front for the wrist shot

2-2 (PC) - 11:42/1st - EV - Bailey Conger (Bjorkqvist) - Shoved home the loose puck in the crease after Bjorkqvist shot

3-2 (Maine) - 12:43/2nd - PP - Veli Tiuraniemi (unassisted) - Wrist shot through traffic from the top of the left circle

3-3 (PC) - 18:35/2nd - PP - Scott Conway (Duhaime, Young) - Duhaime skated through traffic in the slot and dished to Conway who scored from just above the goal line

4-3 (PC) - 16:50/3rd - EV - Josh Wilkins (Bryson) - Wilkins chipped in the rebound following a Bryson wrap-around attempt

PC GAME HIGHS

Goals: Foley, Conger, Conway, Wilkins (1)
Assists: Six players (1)
Points: Wilkins (2)
Shots: Five players (4)

POWER PLAYS

Providence - 1/5
Maine - 2/3

SHOTS

Providence - 41
Maine - 24

UP NEXT

Up next, Providence and Maine will battle in Game 2 of the best-of-three quarterfinal series on Saturday night at Schneider Arena.