Junior defenseman Simon Butala scored the shootout-winner for the Black Bears
Maine Earns Shootout Win After 1-1 Tie With New Hampshire
Junior defenseman Simon Butala scored the shootout-winner for the Black Bears

DURHAM, N.H. - Sophomore Kalle Eriksson (Leksand, Sweden) scored his first collegiate goal for the Wildcats as the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team skated to a 1-1 tie with Maine on Friday at the Whittemore Center in the season opener for both teams. The Black Bears earned a second point winning the shootout, 3-2. The Wildcats and the Black Bears both start the season at 0-0-1 (0-0-1 HEA). Matthew Thiessen made 37 saves for Maine.

UP NEXT: Wildcats will return to action on Friday and Saturday, UNH will host Maine Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. at the Whittemore Center in the second game of the weekend series on NESN+ and College SportsLive.

Score: New Hampshire 1, Maine 1 (OT; Maine wins shootout 3-2)
Records: New Hampshire (0-0-1, 0-0-1 HEA), Maine (0-0-1, 0-0-1 HEA)
Location: Durham, N.H. (Whittemore Center)
Date: Friday, December 11, 2020


HOW IT HAPPENED

- The first period went scoreless as UNH outshot Maine 13-2. The Wildcats were 0-3 on the power play and the Black Bears were 0-1.

- Through two periods of play, neither team could get on the board as UNH held a 25-4 advantage in shots.

- After two periods, the Wildcats had outshot the Black Bears 25-4. UNH was 0-5 on the power play, while the Black Bears were 0-2.

- The Wildcats found the back of the net off of the stick of Eriksson, who dragged the puck around a Maine defender on a solo rush and chipped one through the arm of Thiessen for his first career collegiate goal at 12:42 of the third period. Senior assistant captain Eric McAdams (Salem, Mass.) and senior Kohei Sato (Nishitokyo, Japan) received assists on the goal.

- Maine answered back just 32 seconds later with a tic-tac toe passing play to find Lynden Breen at the top of the crease who found the open net. Adam Dawe and Eduards Tralmaks set up the goal for the Black Bears.

- Three periods of play were not enough to decide a winner and the first 3-on-3 overtime action of the season was played for both teams.

- After regulation, UNH had outshot Maine 35-13. The Wildcat power play was 0-7, while the Black Bear power play stood at 0-3.

- Senior Mike Robinson (Bedford, N.H.) made an incredible string of saves late in overtime to keep the game tied at 1-1.

- Neither team could find the twine in overtime. The game resulted in a tie, however, for the purpose of Hockey East standings, a shootout was played to determine who would earn the two points.

- Maine ended up taking the second point in the shootout with Simon Butala clinching the point with the Black Bears' third goal of the shootout. Junior Jackson Pierson (Zionsville, Ind.) and senior captain Charlie Kelleher (Longmeadow, Mass.) notched goals during the shootout.


INSIDE THE NUMBERS

- Robinson made 15 saves and begins the season at 0-0-1, while Thiessen posted 37 saves and also stands at 0-0-1. - UNH outshot Maine by a 38-16 margin.

- The Wildcats went 0-7 on the power play and the Black Bears finished 0-3.


BEYOND THE BOXSCORE

- Eriksson's goal marks the first of his collegiate career.

- This was the first time that UNH opened its season versus Maine.

Game Summary

Friday, December 11, 2020

1
1
Game statistics
16 Shots 38
0 / 3 Power Plays 0 / 7
7 / 14 PIM 3 / 6
0-0-1 Records 0-0-1
GOAL SCORERS
Maine New Hampshire
Kalle Eriksson (1)
3rd/12:42
Lynden Breen (1)
3rd/13:14  GT
GOALTENDERS
Maine New Hampshire
Matthew Thiessen
65:00, 37 Saves, 1 GA
(T, 0-0-1)
Mike Robinson
64:27, 15 Saves, 1 GA
(T, 0-0-1)

Empty Net
0:33, 0 GA